By Seyi Odewale
The Rivers State House of Assembly has suspended the impeachment process initiated against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, following fresh political consultations and legal developments.
The decision was taken during Thursday’s plenary after the House dissolved into a Committee of the Whole to deliberate on the matter.
The impeachment proceedings, which had slowed due to legal disputes and political tension, were formally put on hold pending the resolution of court cases and ongoing engagements among the parties involved.
Speaker of the Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, told lawmakers that the development followed a high-level political meeting involving key actors in the crisis.
He said, “In furtherance of the outcome of the meeting we held with relevant parties, the governor and the deputy governor have gone ahead to withdraw the case they filed at the Rivers State High Court.”
Amaewhule explained that part of the understanding reached was that the governor would discontinue all legal actions against the Assembly, while lawmakers would, in turn, suspend the impeachment process.
He added, “We also instructed our lawyers to withdraw the matter we filed at the Court of Appeal… Having reported all these, members agreed to halt the impeachment process.”
During the debate, Deputy Speaker Dumle Maol urged members to support the peace move by discontinuing both the impeachment notice and pending court cases.
“It is my position that we should halt the impeachment proceedings against the governor and deputy governor,” he said.
The Speaker subsequently put the motion to a voice vote, and lawmakers unanimously agreed to suspend the impeachment action.
The Assembly, however, expressed hope that the governor and his deputy would henceforth conduct their duties in line with constitutional provisions and avoid actions capable of triggering further political conflict.
The latest decision marks the third time the Assembly has stepped back from impeachment proceedings against Fubara, raising hopes of a possible resolution of the protracted political standoff between the executive and legislative arms in the state.
The crisis began in January 2026, when 26 lawmakers issued an impeachment notice against the governor, accusing him of gross misconduct.
The allegations included demolishing the Assembly complex, approving spending outside legislative appropriation, withholding funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission and disobeying a Supreme Court judgment on legislative financial autonomy.
Separate allegations were also filed against the deputy governor, including claims of unconstitutional expenditure, obstruction of legislative activities and withholding lawmakers’ salaries and allowances.
However, the process suffered a setback when the Chief Judge of Rivers State declined to constitute the investigative panel required to proceed with the impeachment, citing a subsisting court order.
The order, granted by the Rivers State High Court, restrained further action on the impeachment following suits filed by the governor and his deputy challenging its legality.
The impeachment move also attracted criticism from political stakeholders, with the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress describing it as “destabilising and unnecessary.”
Efforts at political reconciliation intensified in recent weeks, with key actors expressing optimism that the crisis would soon be resolved and that lasting peace would be restored in the state.
