The Rivers State House of Assembly has commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu.
This is according to proceedings at a plenary session of the Assembly on Thursday, where lawmakers formally read notices alleging gross misconduct against both officeholders.
The move, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, marks a major escalation in the ongoing political crisis in the oil-producing state and sets the stage for further constitutional actions.
What they are saying
At the plenary, the Majority Leader of the House, Major Jack, read a notice of impeachment against Governor Fubara, invoking Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
The notice accused the governor of seven acts of gross misconduct, including the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex and the approval of extra-budgetary expenditures without legislative consent.
Other allegations include the withholding of funds due to the Assembly Service Commission and disobedience to a Supreme Court judgment affirming the financial autonomy of the legislature.
The impeachment notice against the governor was endorsed by 26 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Allegations against the deputy governor
Following the notice against the governor, the Deputy Majority Leader, Linda Stewart, presented a separate impeachment notice against Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu.
The allegations against her include reckless and unconstitutional spending of public funds and actions said to have obstructed the constitutional functions of the House of Assembly.
Lawmakers also accused the deputy governor of allowing unauthorized individuals to occupy government offices without clearance from the legally constituted Assembly.
Additional claims include seeking budgetary approvals from groups not recognized as the legitimate Rivers State House of Assembly and withholding salaries and allowances meant for the Assembly and its Service Commission.
Back story
The impeachment move is the latest flashpoint in a prolonged political crisis that has engulfed Rivers State since the fallout between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, former Governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
- The rift, which began shortly after Fubara assumed office in May 2023, fractured the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structure in the state and split the Rivers State House of Assembly into rival factions.
- Tensions escalated in late 2023 when lawmakers loyal to Wike attempted to initiate impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara, prompting violent clashes around the Assembly complex and its eventual demolition by the state government.
- Following the incident, only a fraction of the Assembly continued legislative activities, while disputes over which group constituted the legitimate House deepened.
The crisis also led to repeated court battles over the control of the Assembly, budget approvals, and the release of statutory funds, with the Supreme Court eventually affirming the financial autonomy of the legislature.
Despite several interventions by party leaders and the Presidency aimed at reconciliation, relations between the executive arm and the Amaewhule-led Assembly have remained strained.
What you should know
Speaker Martins Amaewhule announced that the impeachment notices would be formally served on Governor Fubara and Deputy Governor Odu within seven days.
“I will ensure that this letter is forwarded to His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State, within seven days,” he said.
This development follows months of tension between the executive arm of government and the Assembly, which has been marked by disputes over legitimacy, budgetary approvals, and control of state institutions.
