Why We Must Impeach Fubara, By Rivers Assembly

The Rivers State House of Assembly has vowed to continue its impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, explaining the reasons why the constitutional task must be carried out.

This is as four members of the House, including the Minority Leader, Hon. Sylvanus Nwankwo and Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Barile Nwakoh, as well as the members representing Degema Constituency and Obio/Akpor Constituency 2, Hon. Peter Abbey and Hon. Emilia Amadi, respectively, who earlier backed out, recanted and expressed their for the impeachment proceedings.

The House was scheduled to resume plenary on Thursday, January 15, 2025, but failed to do so following what observers believed could have been due to cracks in the House of Assembly.

However, addressing a press conference in Port Harcourt on Friday, chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Dr. Enemi Alabo-George, accused Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, of acting as if the Rivers State House of Assembly does not exist.

Alabo-George also accused the duo of using several media platforms to attack the state legislature as well as using the church to spite members of the House of Assembly.

He said: “In the face of this situation, our decision to proceed is informed by the following; the governor and the deputy governor could not have any intention to stop disobeying the Construction of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

“This is the third time that impeachment proceedings will be top on the affairs of the state and we have noticed that the governor and the deputy governor have mastered the art of manipulating leaders against the House rather than retrace their steps and assure the people of Rivers State and indeed Nigerians that infractions in the Constitution of Nigeria and laws of Rivers State will be altered in the best interest of this state.

“The governor and the deputy governor act as if the Rivers State House of Assembly does not exist. They are unperturbed about the allegations and still boasting through their media attack dogs that members could simply be told to stop and that members cannot enforce the Constitution.

“This is indeed the real problem for our democracy. It looks like the Rivers State governor and deputy governor are above the Constitution and will continue to do whatever they like and the arm of government empowered to check their excesses will always be ordered not to work and keep quiet.

“While members were positively considering calls from stakeholders, the governor and deputy governor were busy using fake media platforms to attack us in the media and were planning to use state institutions like the EFCC to intimate us.

“They have refused to respond to any of the allegations or accusations of gross misconduct but have so much time to go to the Church and give innuendo of barking dogs to spite us and still insist that they will not respect the legislature or what members of the Rivers State House of Assembly stand for.

“Many of the stakeholders who are calling on us are not willing to call on the governor and deputy governor to do the right thing. The governor and the deputy governor are the aggressors, serial offenders of our Constitution and serious threats to our democracy. The sure path to a sustainable peace and progress of our state is the rule of law, separation of powers and respect for the Constitution and not to blackmail or intimidate anybody or group.

“In a bit to gain sympathy for the governor or deputy governor, many who do not mean well for Rivers State or democracy simply reduced everything to disagreement between our political leader and the governor. The real problem is that the governor and the deputy governor are at war with the grand norm of the Constitution just to achieve their political goals.

“We urge the people of Rivers State to read the notice of allegations against the governor and the deputy governor. We are convinced that they will understand better the situation and context of our own position.

“Previous attempts at resolving the political quagmire failed because the governor does not abide by any agreement and cannot be trusted. It is obvious that the only solution now is to apply the solution prescribed by the 1999 Constitution as altered, which is the impeachment of the incorrigible governor and the deputy governor.

“We therefore strongly appeal all leaders at all levels and the good people of Rivers State to carefully consider the problem at hand and understand that the impeachment process is the best way to go at this point. We are using this medium to call on Mr. Speaker to allow the Constitutional process to proceed unhindered.”