By Deborah Nnamdi
The Rivers State House of Assembly on Friday called on the Chief Judge of the state to constitute a panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.
The lawmakers reached the decision through a unanimous vote at plenary, vowing to press ahead with the impeachment process against the governor and his deputy.
Earlier, members of the Assembly had addressed a live press conference in Port Harcourt, where they accused Governor Fubara of allegedly engaging in acts of blackmail and intimidation against the legislature. The Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol, told journalists that the governor no longer commanded the trust required to resolve the political crisis rocking the oil-rich state.
The lawmakers alleged that the governor had breached provisions of the 1999 Constitution, insisting that the Assembly was left with no option but to exercise its constitutional powers to commence impeachment proceedings. They also accused both the governor and his deputy of attempting to intimidate members of the House.
Despite the standoff, the Assembly expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for intervening in the crisis and called on the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, to reconvene the House for legislative business.
In a dramatic twist, four lawmakers who had previously addressed separate press briefings calling for a political solution to the crisis recanted their earlier positions and declared support for the continuation of the impeachment process.
Shortly after the press conference, the lawmakers proceeded to the Assembly chambers, where a plenary session was convened. During the session, members unanimously endorsed a motion backing a formal investigation into the allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Fubara and his deputy.
Declaring the outcome of the vote, Speaker Martin Amaewhule said the resolution reflected the collective decision of the House and formally urged the Chief Judge of Rivers State to set up a panel of investigation in line with constitutional provisions.
Further developments are expected as the process unfolds.
