Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly on Tuesday commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, over allegations of gross misconduct.
The move followed the presentation of separate notices of allegations during plenary presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule.
Leading the process against the governor, the Majority Leader of the House, Major Jack, formally read out a notice of allegations against Fubara, citing provisions of Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
According to Jack, the notice contained seven counts of alleged gross misconduct. Among the accusations levelled against the governor are the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, extra-budgetary spending, withholding of funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission, and refusal to comply with a Supreme Court judgment on the financial autonomy of the legislature.
It was disclosed that 26 members of the House signed the notice endorsing the impeachment move.
After the notice was laid before the House, Speaker Amaewhule announced that the allegations would be formally served on Governor Fubara within seven days, in line with constitutional provisions.
In a related development, the Deputy Leader of the House, Linda Stewart, presented a separate notice of alleged gross misconduct against the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu.
The allegations against Odu include reckless and unconstitutional spending of public funds, obstruction of the Rivers State House of Assembly from performing its constitutional duties, and conniving to allow unauthorised persons to occupy offices without proper screening by the legitimate Assembly.
Other accusations levelled against the deputy governor are approaching another group for budgetary approval instead of the recognised Rivers State House of Assembly, as well as the seizure of salaries and allowances due to lawmakers and the Assembly Service Commission.
The impeachment proceedings are expected to follow the processes outlined in the Constitution in the coming days.
