Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara
Political tension heightened in Rivers State on Thursday as the House of Assembly formally commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, over allegations of gross misconduct.
The move was initiated during a plenary session presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule. At the sitting, the Majority Leader, Major Jack, formally read the notice of allegations levelled against the governor before the lawmakers.
Invoking Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Jack outlined seven allegations of gross misconduct against Fubara. Among the claims are the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, alleged extra-budgetary expenditures, and the withholding of funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission.
Other accusations include the governor’s alleged refusal to comply with a Supreme Court ruling on the financial autonomy of the legislature, actions lawmakers say undermined the independence of the Assembly.
A total of 26 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly reportedly signed the notice backing the impeachment move.
“I will ensure that this letter is forwarded to His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State, within seven days,” Speaker Amaewhule said during the session.
Shortly after the notice against the governor was presented, the Deputy Leader of the House, Linda Stewart, also laid before the chamber a separate notice of allegations of gross misconduct against Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu.
The allegations against Odu include what lawmakers described as reckless and unconstitutional spending of public funds, as well as actions said to have obstructed the House from carrying out its constitutional responsibilities under the 1999 Constitution.
She was also accused of allegedly conniving to allow unauthorised persons to occupy government offices without proper screening by the recognised House of Assembly. Further claims allege that the deputy governor sought budgetary approvals from another group instead of the legitimate Assembly, and was involved in the seizure of salaries and allowances due to the Rivers State House of Assembly and the Assembly Service Commission.
With the formal presentation of the notices, the impeachment process against both the governor and his deputy has now been set in motion, setting the stage for another critical phase in Rivers State’s ongoing political crisis.
