The Rivers State government has dismissed an impeachment notice issued by the state House of Assembly against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu. The government stated that it had not received any official communication regarding allegations of misconduct.
The impeachment notice, dated March 14, was signed by 26 lawmakers loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike. They accused Fubara of reckless spending, interfering with legislative duties, and appointing officials without approval. The lawmakers demanded that the governor and his deputy respond within 14 days, citing Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution.
Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Barrister Joseph Johnson, rejected the claims, saying the governor had not been formally notified. He accused the lawmakers of trying to block Fubara from implementing a Supreme Court ruling aimed at resolving the state’s political crisis.
Johnson also blamed the lawmakers for causing financial hardship for state workers and pensioners by delaying the release of funds. Despite these challenges, he assured that Fubara remains committed to carrying out the court’s ruling.
As part of the Supreme Court’s directive, Fubara instructed local government chairmen to hand over to their administrative heads. In line with this, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has scheduled new local government elections for August 9, 2025.
This is not the first impeachment attempt against Governor Fubara. In October 2023, 24 lawmakers tried to remove him, leading to violent clashes, the burning of the assembly complex, and its demolition. Fubara later claimed he survived an assassination attempt during the crisis.
In a separate development, the House of Assembly has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Tammy Danagogo. Lawmakers accused him of unauthorized spending and financial mismanagement.
These allegations align with earlier claims by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who accused Danagogo of worsening the state’s political crisis. He was also linked to a court order that prevented Fubara from recognizing the 27 lawmakers behind the impeachment attempt.
