The House Minority Leader, Sylvanus Nwankwo, and lawmaker from Degema, Peter Abbey, brief journalists in Port Harcourt on January 12, 2025.
Two Rivers lawmakers have appealed for leniency over the planned impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy, Prof. Nma Odu.
At a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Monday, the House Minority Leader, Sylvanus Nwankwo, and lawmaker from Degema, Peter Abbey, cited interventions by leaders, residents, and constituents, and asked that the impeachment process be stalled.
“Rivers State issued a notice of impeachment on Governor Fubara and his Deputy. We appeal to our fellow colleagues to temper justice with mercy and see how we can solve this matter without the impeachment proceedings,” Nwankwo said.
“Having listened to so many calls from our elders and leaders, both within and outside the state, we are begging our colleagues to reconsider our steps and see how this matter can be resolved amicably even though the governor and his deputy have infringed on the Constitution”.
Last Thursday, Fubara and Odu were said to have been served an impeachment notice over alleged gross misconduct.
The Majority Leader, Major Jack, presented a notice signed by 26 lawmakers, outlining multiple allegations of gross misconduct against the governor.
The allegations include extra-budgetary spending of over N800bn without legislative approval, withholding funds allocated to the Assembly Service Commission, demolition of the Assembly complex, and defiance of Supreme Court rulings on legislative autonomy.
A separate notice was also read against the deputy governor for allegedly conniving in unconstitutional expenditures.
Amaewhule announced that the notices would be served on the governor and his deputy within seven days, in line with the Constitution.
However, Fubara said he had yet to receive an impeachment notice from the lawmakers.
The development marks a renewed escalation of the protracted political crisis in Rivers State, stemming from the fallout between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Previous impeachment attempts in 2023 and 2025 were halted by presidential interventions, before a state of emergency was declared by President Bola Tinubu last March.
