The Rivers State House of Assembly has escalated its confrontation with Governor Siminalayi Fubara by formally calling on the Chief Judge of the state to constitute a panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against the governor and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.
The decision was reached on Friday through a unanimous vote by lawmakers, who vowed to press ahead with impeachment proceedings against the two top state officials. The move comes amid a prolonged political crisis that has unsettled governance in the oil-rich state.
The rift began after the collapse of Governor Fubara’s relationship with the House of Assembly and former governor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Although Fubara defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress in December 2025, the move failed to resolve tensions with lawmakers, most of whom remain politically aligned with Wike.
The political feud had earlier prompted President Bola Tinubu to intervene in March 2025 by declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State. The intervention led to the suspension of the governor, his deputy, and the Assembly for six months, with a sole administrator appointed to oversee the state before the reinstatement of the elected officials late last year.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Port Harcourt, lawmakers accused the governor of blackmail, constitutional breaches, and actions they said had eroded trust and stalled governance. Deputy Speaker Dumle Maol said the Assembly had exhausted all political options and was left with no choice but to pursue constitutional remedies.
The lawmakers further accused both the governor and his deputy of intimidating the legislature in an attempt to weaken oversight functions. While reaffirming their position, they thanked President Tinubu for previous efforts to mediate the crisis, noting that such interventions had failed to yield lasting solutions.
Maol stated that impeachment had become the only viable option under the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and appealed to political leaders and residents of the state to understand the Assembly’s stance. The lawmakers also called on Speaker Martin Amaewhule to reconvene the House to allow constitutional processes to proceed without obstruction.
In a shift from earlier positions, four lawmakers who had previously advocated for a political settlement withdrew their support and declared backing for the impeachment process. Shortly after the briefing, members reconvened in plenary, where they unanimously endorsed the call for a formal investigation.
At the sitting, Speaker Amaewhule urged the Chief Judge of Rivers State to set up an investigative panel in line with constitutional provisions, declaring that the vote reflected the collective decision of the House.
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