Four members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have made a dramatic U-turn, withdrawing their earlier call for reconciliation and declaring full support for the impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.
The lawmakers announced their decision during a press conference in Port Harcourt on Friday, citing what they described as the governor’s refusal to pursue a political resolution to the prolonged crisis in the oil-rich state.
Speaking on behalf of the group, the Minority Leader, Sylvanus Nwankwo, who represents Omuma Constituency, accused Governor Fubara of showing no remorse over allegations of gross misconduct levelled against him by the Assembly.
Nwankwo recalled that on January 12, he and his colleague, Peter Abbey, had publicly appealed to lawmakers to seek a political solution to the impasse between the executive and the legislature.
“While that appeal was pending, we discovered that the governor and his deputy had instead deployed their media aides and supporters to launch sustained attacks on the Rivers State House of Assembly, rather than explore the political solution we offered,” he said.
“It is on this basis that my colleague and I have decided that the impeachment process should continue. We have withdrawn our earlier plea.”
Corroborating the claims, Abbey accused the governor and his deputy of persistently attacking lawmakers and violating constitutional provisions, insisting that the impeachment process should proceed.
“I am an Ijaw man like the governor, but this matter should not be ethnicised,” Abbey said. “This is purely a constitutional issue, and we believe the process must continue.”
The Deputy Minority Leader, Barile Nwakoh, also threw her weight behind the impeachment, alleging that Governor Fubara and his deputy had remained defiant in their disregard for the constitution.
Representing Khana Constituency I, Nwakoh accused the executive of attempting to intimidate lawmakers into abandoning the impeachment process, warning that such actions posed a threat to democratic governance.
“Despite interventions, the governor and deputy governor have clearly shown that they are unwilling to retrace their steps or govern in line with the constitution,” she said.
“Their strategy is to intimidate us into withdrawing the impeachment process for the third time while they continue to violate the constitution and the law. On this basis, we have resolved to continue with the impeachment process.”
She, however, commended President Bola Tinubu for his earlier efforts to mediate the crisis in Rivers State.
The fourth lawmaker, Emilia Lucky-Amadi, representing Obio/Akpor II Constituency, said she and her colleagues were left with no choice but to rescind their earlier position after the governor allegedly ignored their appeals for dialogue.
“The governor and his deputy have made it clear that they will not govern in accordance with the constitution and believe that nothing will happen,” Lucky-Amadi stated.
“There are strong indications that they intend to continue with illegal actions and are openly dismissive of the Assembly’s oversight responsibilities.”
The Rivers State House of Assembly had earlier initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy over allegations of gross misconduct.
On Friday, the House also unanimously voted in support of requesting the Chief Judge of the state to constitute an investigative panel to probe the allegations.
The lawmakers’ reversal further deepens the political crisis in Rivers State, as the impeachment process gathers momentum within the Assembly.
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