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Rivers State House of Assembly has said that the impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy, Ngozi Odu, is fully on course.
Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Enemi George, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
George said the move is in line with relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
He added that the two notices of allegations of gross misconduct brought pursuant to Section 188 of the Constitution against the Governor and Deputy have been forwarded to them by the Speaker of the House while we await their responses.
According to him, it is the House of Assembly that is empowered by the Constitution to stand by the people and stop infractions on the Constitution by the Governor, Deputy Governor or any other officer of the Rivers State Government so, adding that the Assembly members remain duty bound in this regard.
“We are aware that certain persons and media platforms are at it again to misinform the public particularly to the effect that the process has been halted or discontinued. Some are trending false narratives to cause disaffection between the House and well-meaning Nigerians.
“Therefore, with the leave of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule DSSRS .I call on all and sundry to disregard their antics, as their actions have already failed. We remain committed to our constitutional duties and would not be dissuaded by cheap blackmail or threats from those who do not mean well for our country’s nascent democracy.
“Finally, we thank the good people of Rivers State for their prayers and encouragement and express our gratitude to all stakeholders and leaders at all levels and use this medium to extend our warm regards to all democrats who believe in the Nigerian project.
“May God continue to bless our dear Rivers State and Nigeria,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Daboikiabo Warmate, has alleged that Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, was attempting to become governor “through the back door,” a move he described as unconstitutional.
Speaking on Daily Break on Trust TV on Friday, Warmate said Amaewhule stood to benefit personally from the current controversy surrounding the state budget.
“Speaker Martins Amaewhule want to become governor through the back door but he will never be, its because he is going to be the primary beneficiary of this issue,” he said.
He referenced Section 122 of the Constitution, which allows a governor to spend from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for up to six months after the expiration of a budget if the next budget has not been passed – a provision commonly referred to as “default appropriation”.
Warmate described the action of the Rivers State House of Assembly as an insult, not only to the President, but also to the institution of governance, including the Senate and the House of Representatives.
“its an insult to the President the action of the State of Assembly, is an insult to the president to the institution to their senior which is the Senate and the House of Representatives.”
He explained that the 2025 budget was prepared by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, vetted by the sole administrator, presented to the President, and subsequently transmitted to the National Assembly.
According to Warmate, the National Assembly passed the budget, and Rivers State now has an appropriation law in place.
“Any attempt to have the governor represent the law locally is misplaced. The law already exists, and whatever the governor spends under it is constitutional,” he stated.
