Tension heightened in Rivers State on Thursday as the Rivers State House of Assembly formally commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Oduh.
The dramatic move followed a plenary sitting presided over by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, where lawmakers initiated the constitutional process that could lead to the removal of the state’s top executive officers.
During the session, the Majority Leader of the House, Major Jack, formally read a notice of allegations and claims of gross misconduct levelled against Governor Fubara. According to him, the notice was duly endorsed by 26 members of the Assembly, who accused the governor of actions allegedly inconsistent with, and in violation of, specific provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Addressing the House, Speaker Amaewhule confirmed that the impeachment notice would be officially served on Governor Fubara within the next seven days, in strict compliance with constitutional requirements and legislative procedure. He emphasized that the Assembly was acting within its constitutional mandate and that due process would be followed at every stage of the proceedings.
In a related development, the Deputy Majority Leader, Linda Stewart, read out a separate notice detailing allegations and claims of gross misconduct against the Deputy Governor, Professor Ngozi Oduh. This action formally triggered impeachment proceedings against the deputy governor as well, setting the stage for parallel processes against both principal officers of the executive arm.
The commencement of the impeachment process marks a significant escalation in the political crisis rocking Rivers State and signals a potentially turbulent period ahead for governance in the oil-rich state.
DDM NEWS will continue to monitor developments closely and bring updates as the situation unfolds.
Details shortly…
