The Rivers State House of Assembly has dismissed allegations that the impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara are being driven by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television on Thursday, the Assembly’s spokesperson, Enemi George, insisted that lawmakers are acting strictly within the confines of the Constitution and not under the influence of any political figure.
George warned against conflating politics with the constitutional duties of the legislature, describing claims of external influence as unfair to the Assembly.
“The FCT minister is a politician, and this is a constitutional matter. Mixing politics with constitutional responsibilities is dangerous,” he said.
“It is demeaning to reduce the actions of an institution created by the Constitution to the influence of one individual.”
While acknowledging his personal political alignment with Wike, George stressed that the impeachment process has nothing to do with partisan interests.
“I speak as the spokesperson of the Rivers State House of Assembly, not as a party official. It is insulting to suggest that the House is acting at the behest of anyone,” he added.
‘No political solution’ to impeachment
On whether political intervention could halt the process, George said there was no room for political bargaining, emphasising that the Assembly was guided solely by the law.
“We’ve had too many political solutions in the past. This is about the law,” he said.
“If a constitutional breach is repeated, you cannot continue to rely on political fixes.”
He described Governor Fubara as a “recidivist,” arguing that repeated constitutional violations make political compromise untenable.
Impeachment proceedings begin
George’s comments came shortly after the Rivers State House of Assembly, under the leadership of Speaker Martin Amaewhule, formally initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, during a plenary session on Thursday.
The Majority Leader, Major Jack, presented a notice endorsed by 26 lawmakers, listing allegations of gross misconduct against the governor.
The claims include extra-budgetary expenditure of more than N800bn without legislative approval, withholding funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission, demolition of the Assembly complex, and alleged disregard for Supreme Court judgments on legislative autonomy.
A separate notice was also read against the deputy governor, accusing her of complicity in unconstitutional spending.
Speaker Amaewhule announced that the impeachment notices would be served on both officials within seven days, in accordance with constitutional provisions.
The development signals a fresh escalation in the long-running political crisis in Rivers State, rooted in the rift between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
Previous impeachment efforts in 2023 and 2025 were halted following presidential interventions, including the declaration of a state of emergency by President Bola Tinubu.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the impeachment move, describing it as untenable and cautioning that it could further destabilise the state.
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