Rivers Assembly initiates impeachment proceedings against Fubara Deputy.

 “The notice is issued to the Governor of Rivers State in the performance of the functions of his office.” The notice, signed by the 26 lawmakers, accused Fubara of reckless and unconstitutional expenditure of public funds, citing violations of Sections 120, 121(1)(2), and 122 of the Nigerian Constitution. Legislators said that the governor's action showed that he didn't want to follow the state constitution and his oath of office. They further referenced a ruling by the Supreme Court in Suit No. SC/CV/1174/2024, which, according to them, condemned Fubara’s actions. 

 “The Supreme Court stated that ‘the eight respondent’s fear of impeachment by the RSHA is no justification for his attacks on the RSHA, the Constitution, the Government of Rivers State, and the rule of law,” the notice read in part. Similarly, in the Assembly’s letter concerning he Deputy Governor, Prof. "In compliance with Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and other extant laws, we the undersigned members of the Rivers State House of Assembly hereby forward to you a Notice of Gross Misconduct by the Deputy Governor of Rivers State in the performance of the functions of her office," the Assembly's Ngozi Odu stated. Meanwhile, the government has cried out that the future of its people is bleak, following the uncooperative stance of the House of Assembly to move the state forward.

 Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joe Johnson, expressed this while briefing journalists in Port Harcourt, yesterday. This despite the fact that lawmakers have begun the impeachment process to remove Siminalayi Fubara, the governor, and Prof. Ngozi Odu. Johnson emphasized that the House of Assembly's refusal to accept Fubara's letter and its inaccessibility to the Assembly Quarters (temporary sitting venue) have hampered the governor's efforts to ensure that the Supreme Court's decision is implemented in the 2025 Appropriation Bill. He lamented that Rivers residents were facing a gloomy future as a result of the House of Assembly's uncooperative actions, led by Martin Amaewhule, preventing Governor Fubara from putting the Supreme Court's decision into action. “It is now common knowledge that members of the Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly have by their actions refused to allow the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir (Dr.) Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS to fully implement the judgement of the Supreme Court on the long drawn political and legal battle that has lingered since after the ill-fated attempt to impeach him on October 30, 2023.

” According to the commissioner, right from when this unjustified onslaught against Governor Fubara started, he (Fubara) has never left anyone in doubt about his unwavering commitment to peace and resolute determination to put Rivers people first over and above personal and or sectional interests. Johnson continued: “In his (governor ) statewide broadcast a few days after the judgement, Governor Fubara declared his acceptance of the judgement and made an unambiguous commitment to full compliance and implementation. In that broadcast, he instructed the recently duly elected LGA Chairmen who had been expelled by the Supreme Court to immediately hand over to the Heads of Local Government Administrations (HLGAs), while also pleading with his supporters to accept the judgment with composure.

 “The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) under the leadership of its indefatigable Chairman and Chief Electoral Officer, Hon. In accordance with the decision of the Supreme Court, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.) called a stakeholders meeting at their headquarters in Port Harcourt for all registered political parties in the state, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations (CSOs), the press, and the general public. “At that stakeholders meeting, the Electoral umpire set the ball rolling for conduct of a fresh LGAs elections by releasing the elections timetable and elections guidelines, fixing August 9, 2025 for the exercise. “This is in full compliance with the Supreme Court judgment ordering a fresh election into the third tier of government.

” The Commissioner for Information and Communications expressed concern about the House of Assembly's failure to cooperate and achieve the desired peace, pointing to a number of steps the governor had taken to implement the Supreme Court's orders. “In keeping with his resolve to take the necessary action, Governor Siminalayi Fubara sent another letter personally signed by him to the House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Amaewhule, again to notify him and members of the RSHA under his leadership, indicating his plan to come to re-present the 2025 budget to them on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 or any other day that may be convenient to the House, in compliance with the Supreme Court verdict, in order to keep the wheel of government of the state running.

 “In a letter dated 13th March, 2025, Governor Fubara again requested to present the budget to the Assembly on Wednesday 19th March, 2025 ör on any other date within March 2025 that you may consider convenient”. “Regrettably, the staff of the Assembly refused to receive and acknowledge the letter. A courier company which was engaged to deliver the letter also returned it with a report that it was rejected at the Assembly Quarters where the members currently sit. The Rivers State House of Assembly, on the other hand, is of the opinion that Governor Fubara has refused to present the budget.

 “Although it is tempting to ignore false narratives in the social media that Governor Fubara has refused to take steps to present the budget to the Assembly, we cannot ignore the press briefing by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Dr Enemi George, alleging that the governor is frustrating the implementation of the Supreme Court’s judgement, particularly the directive requiring him to re-present the 2025 Appropriate Bill to the lawmakers.

 “Following the refusal by the Assembly to receive and acknowledge the governor’s letter, delivered by government officials and a courier company, the Rivers State Government took the initiative of publishing the letter in two national dailies. It would be uncharitable to claim that the Governor’s letter was published on social media and not formally delivered to the Assembly.

   “Dr. Enemi George also challenged the governor to produce an acknowledgment copy of the letter under reference. We are unable to provide a copy of the acknowledgment because the Assembly rejected the Governor's letter. However, we are able to direct all parties to the alternative means of service in The Guardian and The Nation. “The Rivers State governor is acting in good faith notwithstanding that false narratives are being peddled by the same people frustrating compliance with the judgment of court.

 “The Assembly members announced, much to the dismay of all rational people, that they were going on vacation and that legislative business had been postponed sine die. The government will be unable to pay salaries, pensions, and other emoluments as well as perform other obligations at the end of the month because both the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant-General of the Federation have been ordered to seize revenue allocations to the state until its judgment is fully implemented. It is glaringly clear that with the current actions of the House, the dire consequences, and harsh realities that the civil servants, retirees, and people of the state will face unimagine 

“The collateral damages of the actions of the legislative arm of government in Rivers will be so severe as non-release of warehoused revenues due the state from the Federation Account will ultimately ground the operation of all sectors of the government. Johnson stated, "The people and residents of the state without exception are bound to suffer avoidable calamities of economic, social, and political upheavals that might sink us deeper into unimaginable crises" if "this opportunity to pull the state from the precipice fails."