The Rivers State House of Assembly has formally suspended its impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, following the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.
The decision was reached on Thursday during plenary in Port Harcourt, marking a major shift in the political crisis that has gripped the state in recent months.
Lawmakers had earlier initiated impeachment moves against the governor and his deputy over allegations of gross misconduct. These allegations included the demolition of the Assembly complex, alleged extra-budgetary spending, withholding of funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission, and refusal to comply with a Supreme Court judgment on legislative financial autonomy.
At the time, the House invoked Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution to commence the impeachment process and requested the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, to set up a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations.
However, Justice Amadi declined, citing a subsisting High Court injunction restraining him from taking further action on the matter. Both Governor Fubara and his deputy had approached the court to challenge the legality of the impeachment proceedings, securing orders that stalled the process.
The renewed calm follows President Tinubu’s intervention earlier this month, after meeting with Governor Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in Abuja. The President’s mediation was aimed at resolving the lingering political tension between both camps.
Sources close to the development say the President urged all parties to prioritize peace, stability, and governance in the interest of Rivers residents.
Following the meeting, Wike expressed optimism that the political crisis was nearing a permanent resolution, describing Tinubu’s involvement as timely and decisive.
The suspension of the impeachment proceedings is widely seen as a major breakthrough, easing political tension and restoring legislative stability in the oil-rich state.
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