Fresh efforts to halt the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, gained momentum on Wednesday as more lawmakers, traditional rulers and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) stepped in to seek a political solution to the crisis.
Two additional members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Barile Nwakoh (Khana Constituency I) and Emilia Amadi (Obio/Akpor Constituency II), in Wednesday appealed to their colleagues to conditionally discontinue the impeachment process.
The lawmakers acknowledged that the governor and his deputy may have breached constitutional provisions but said appeals from respected leaders across the state should not be ignored.
Their intervention came two days after the Minority Leader of the House, Sylvanus Nwankwo (Omuma Constituency), and Peter Abbey (Degema Constituency), also urged the Assembly to temper justice with mercy.
The lawmakers made it clear that their call to halt the impeachment was not unconditional.
They stressed that Governor Fubara must henceforth conduct the affairs of the state in strict compliance with the Constitution.
Meanwhile, traditional rulers in the state have constituted a committee to help resolve the political impasse.
The mediation committee set up earlier by the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), chaired by former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), has also commenced consultations with both camps.
Sources told The Nation thay the committee has been engaging key actors behind the scenes in a bid to restore calm and prevent a breakdown of governance in the state.
It was gathered that Governor Fubara has shown willingness to de-escalate the crisis by reaching out to the leadership of the House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, for reconciliation.
The governor reportedly directed members of his camp to refrain from making public statements against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and to avoid further heating up the political atmosphere in the state.
Fubara and his deputy were last week served impeachment notices by the Assembly over allegations of gross misconduct, with a seven-day window given for their response.
The leadership of the APC, the party to which both the governor and the majority of lawmakers belong, has also intervened in the crisis.
A member of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) said the party had commenced internal efforts to reconcile the governor and the lawmakers.
According to him, the intervention was necessary to prevent further depletion of the party’s governors’ forum and avert internal implosion.
The source said it is the responsibility of the party leadership to bring together its chieftains and resolve this impasse.
Another party source disclosed that, following APC’s intervention, the House of Assembly may reconvene to suspend the impeachment process and explore a political settlement.