On Thursday, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, the Right Honourable Martins Amaewhule, issued a definitive ultimatum regarding the ongoing move to remove Governor Siminialayi Fubara from office.
Addressing a plenary session in the state capital, Speaker Amaewhule declared that he, alongside twenty-five of his colleagues, would tender their resignations should the Assembly fail to successfully conclude the impeachment of Governor Fubara. The Speaker confirmed that the impeachment notice encompasses both the Governor and the Deputy Governor, Professor Ngozi Ordu.
In a robust defence of the House’s actions, the Speaker maintained that the legislators would sooner vacate their seats than permit the Executive to continue what he characterised as an systematic “short-changing” of the Rivers electorate.
Refuting claims that the crisis is a mere proxy war between the Governor and his predecessor, the Honourable Minister Nyesom Wike, Mr Amaewhule insisted that the friction is strictly a matter of law. “This is not a confrontation between two individuals,” the Speaker asserted. “It is a conflict between the Governor and the Constitution of the Federal Republic.”
The twenty-six lawmakers have now formally initiated the impeachment process, citing alleged “gross constitutional violations” as the primary catalyst. In a strongly worded collective statement, the legislators described the Governor’s current administration as a “threat to democratic principles.” Reports indicate that all twenty-six members of the faction have already appended their signatures to the formal notice.
Rivers State has remained in a state of heightened political volatility since the Governor’s reinstatement following a contentious six-month suspension. The situation remains complex, particularly following recent remarks by Minister Wike, who stated publicly that he would remain neutral and not interfere with the Assembly’s constitutional prerogative to pursue impeachment.
The Speaker’s vow to resign should the bid fail underscores the “all-or-nothing” nature of this legislative gambit, leaving the state in a state of anxious anticipation as the constitutional process unfolds.
