The Rivers State government has absolved itself from the purported impeachment notice allegedly directed against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, insisting that the state government is not aware of any formal communication from the state House of Assembly regarding allegations of gross misconduct.
The assembly faction loyal to Nyesome Wike , led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule had allegedly transmitted a notice of gross misconduct in a letter dated March 14, outlining allegations against Fubara and Odu. The letter, signed by 26 lawmakers, accused the governor of reckless expenditure, obstructing the assembly, and making appointments without legislative approval, among other claims.
There was a letter purported to have originated from the state Assembly yesterday signed by the speaker, Amaewhule announced the formal transmission of the notice to the governor and his deputy, citing Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandates that impeachment allegations be signed by at least one-third of house members. He also directed Fubara and Odu to respond to the allegations within the stipulated period of 14 days.
Reacting however, a Commissioner for Information and Communication of Rivers State, Barrister Joseph Johnson, dismissed the move, saying there was no such letter received by his office regarding such rumor.
The commissioner disclosed this yesterday while speaking at a press briefing in Port Harcourt, he criticized the assembly for obstructing Fubara’s efforts to implement the Supreme Court’s recent judgment on the state’s prolonged political crisis.
According to Mr. Johnson the assembly’s actions is responsible for the worsening hardship faced by civil servants and pensioners due to the seized state allocation.
He noted that Fubara had demonstrated willingness of obeying the court’s decision when he immediately directed all local government chairmen to hand over to their administrative heads. The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) had also scheduled fresh elections for August 9, 2025, in compliance with the ruling.
It was learned that the state Assembly had earlier attempted to impeach the governor on October 30, 2023. During this period, 24 members who described themselves as Wike boys in the Assembly initiated impeachment proceedings against the governor, leading to significant unrest, including the burning of sections of the assembly complex and the eventual demolition of the complex. Governor Fubara claimed he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt involving police gunfire during these events.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the assembly has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Tammy Danagogo, over allegations of extra-budgetary spending. The lawmakers also called on the EFCC to probe financial misconduct allegedly linked to Danagogo.
This is coming after FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has alleged that the SSG for engineering the state’s political turmoil, including securing a court order barring Fubara from recognizing the 27 lawmakers.
Senior lawyers warns of constitutional crisis
Reacting to the development, Abeni Mohammed (SAN) stated that removing a sitting governor and deputy is a serious constitutional process that requires a painstaking process.
Mohammed explained, “They must go through the state’s Chief Judge, who will set up a panel to determine whether the allegations constitute an impeachable offense. The findings will then be returned to the Assembly before proceedings can commence”.
The senior lawyer added that Governor Fubara is unlikely to sit and look, given that the lawmakers have also breached the constitution by refusing to sit and adjourning indefinitely.
“The governor can challenge them in court to restrain any impeachment proceedings. Impeachment is a legal matter, and lawmakers must ensure they have not committed constitutional violations themselves. Let them serve the notice, and I am sure the governor’s lawyers know
how to respond,” he said.
He also faulted the Supreme Court for interfering in an issue before the High Court, particularly regarding the status of the 27 defected lawmakers.
“The apex court had no reason to make pronouncements on whether the lawmakers had vacated their seats, as the matter was not before them. Their ruling emboldened the lawmakers, who themselves violated the constitution by defecting. Where and when did they sit to issue directives after indefinitely adjourning? They are playing politics at the expense of Rivers people,” he said.
In a similar manner, Taiye Oniyide (SAN) called for restraint, emphasizing that both sides must prioritize the state’s interests over personal conflicts.
“This crisis has become unnecessarily personal. The power to impeach lies with the house, but this feud did not begin today. The entire nation is watching, and reasonable voices are urging caution,” he noted.
Oniyide further warned that former Governor Nyesom Wike through his tantrums has approved the impeachment attempt through the backdoor in his recent comments.
“This is pure political vendetta. Unfortunately, the people of Rivers suffer the most, as critical development is stalled. Governance should not be driven by bitterness,” he concluded.
