The Rivers State House of Assembly has adopted a resolution seeking an investigation of Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers State, and Ngozi Odu, his deputy, over allegations described as gross misconduct.
The resolution was approved during Friday’s plenary sitting, where 25 legislators voted to refer the matter to the State Chief Judge in accordance with Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The accusations levelled against the governor and his deputy include alleged budgetary irregularities, failure to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill, unauthorised spending of public funds, and the withholding of statutory allocations meant for the legislature.
Martins Amaewhule, speaker of the assembly, who presided over the session, instructed the clerk to notify the Chief Judge within the constitutionally prescribed period to set up a seven-member panel to investigate the allegations.
The resolution represents a further procedural stage in the impeachment process that began on January 8, when formal notices were served on the governor and his deputy.
Recall that the lawmakers had launched the process after Major Jack, leader of the assembly, read gross misconduct charges against Fubara, which was signed at the time by 26 legislators.
Majority of the lawmakers are loyal to Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who has been campaigning against Fubara’s re-election bid, after accusing the governor of breaching a peace agreement they both signed before President Bola Tinubu lifted the emergency rule in Rivers.