By Akwinwale Kasali and Ayodele Oni
Rivers state House of Assembly on Thursday began impeachment proceedings against Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu.
The members present, all of whom are loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, are accusing Fubara and Odu of gross misconduct.
During plenary presided over by the Speaker of the Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, the Majority Leader, Major Jack, read out the notice of allegations and gross misconduct against Fubara.
Relying on Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution, Jack reeled out seven points of alleged gross misconduct against Fubara.
Some of the accusations include the demolition of the Assembly Complex, extra budgetary spending, withholding funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission, refusal to obey the Supreme Court on the financial autonomy of the House.
Twenty-six members of the Assembly signed the notice.
After Jack laid his notice before the Speaker who said the notice will be served on the Governor within seven days, the Deputy Leader, Linda Stewart, also brought forward a notice of gross misconduct against Odu.
Some of the gross misconduct allegations included reckless and unconstitutional spending of public funds, obstruction of the House of Assembly from performing its constitutional duties as outlined by the 1999 Constitution, conniving to allow unauthorized persons to occupy offices without proper screening by the legitimate House of Assembly.
Other allegations were that she approached another group of people for budgetary approval instead of the legitimate Rivers State House of Assembly, seizure of salaries and allowances accruing to the RSHA and the Assembly Service Commission.
The first impeachment procedure against the governor in 2023 led to the declaration of a state of emergency following conflicting court’s pronouncement on the political crisis in the state
Fubara, Odu and members of the assembly had recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), last year.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has just completed a tour of local governments in the state during which he accused Fubara of breaching agreement facilitated between them by President Bola Tinubu. Wike swore that Fubara will never get a second term in office in 2027. Not a few people agree that the Assembly began the impeachment on Wike’s instruction.
The Assembly has adjourned proceedings to next week, January 16.
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