“Set Up Panel To Investigate Fubara, His Deputy” — Rivers Assembly To Chief Judge As 25 Lawmakers Vote To Proceed With Impeachment Process

The Rivers State House of Assembly has resolved to ask the state’s Chief Judge to investigate Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, over allegations of gross misconduct.

The resolution was passed on Friday during a plenary session, with 25 lawmakers supporting the motion. The request instructs the Chief Judge to examine the claims in line with Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Speaker Martins Amaewhule, who presided over the session, directed the Clerk of the House to formally write to the Chief Judge, requesting the formation of a seven-member investigative panel to probe the accusations.

“This voting clearly shows the decision of the House,” Amaewhule declared while calling on the Chief Judge of the state to set up the panel of investigation.

The allegations against the governor and his deputy include irregularities in budget management, failure to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the Assembly, unauthorized spending of public funds, and withholding statutory allocations from the legislature.

The lawmakers had earlier addressed a live press conference in Port Harcourt where they accused Fubara of allegedly using blackmail.

Addressing journalists, the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol, said Fubara lacked the trust needed to address the crisis rocking the oil-rich state.

They accused the governor of infringing on the 1999 Constitution, saying the parliament was left with no other choice but to apply their legislative power by impeaching him from office.

The lawmakers also claimed the governor and his deputy had resorted to intimidating the parliament.

They, however, thanked President Bola Tinubu for wading into the crisis.

Four members of the House who had earlier held press conferences calling for a political solution recanted and declared their support for the impeachment process to continue.

Shortly after the live press conference, the lawmakers made their way to the chambers for the commencement of the parliamentary session.

This move follows the initiation of impeachment proceedings earlier this month, when the Assembly served notices of allegations on Fubara and Odu on January 8.

The Assembly had failed to reconvene on Thursday, January 15, amid rumours of a plot to impeach Speaker Amaewhule. However, the lawmakers reconvened on Friday and unanimously voted to proceed with the investigation of the governor and his deputy.