Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have reaffirmed their resolve to proceed with impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, insisting the process is constitutional and free from ethnic or political bias.
Addressing journalists on Friday, the lawmakers said they would not retreat from their constitutional responsibilities despite mounting pressure, mediation efforts, and alleged intimidation from the executive arm of government. The briefing came ahead of an expected plenary session, following the Assembly’s inability to sit earlier in the week amid escalating political tension.
A senior legislator accused the executive of deliberately undermining the legislature and breaching constitutional provisions.
“We are not prepared to retrace our steps or govern outside the Constitution. There have been repeated attempts to intimidate us into abandoning this process while constitutional violations continue,” he said.
The lawmakers argued that their oversight functions were being threatened, warning that such actions could weaken democratic institutions in the state.
“This is dangerous for democracy. We are being told we do not matter and cannot perform our duties, including passing an appropriation bill. On this basis, we are proceeding with the impeachment process,” the lawmaker added.
While acknowledging peace efforts by elders and President Bola Tinubu, the Assembly members claimed that both the governor and his deputy had ignored reconciliation initiatives.
Another legislator, speaking on behalf of his colleagues, said the House remained open to a political resolution but alleged continued disregard by the executive.
“We are willing to consider a political solution, but the governor and deputy governor are ignoring us. There are clear indications they intend to continue what we consider illegal actions in the state,” he said.
Several lawmakers emphasized that the impeachment move was purely institutional, dismissing claims of ethnic motivation. They described impeachment as a constitutional tool designed to ensure checks and balances within government.
“Impeachment is not persecution. It is one of the mechanisms provided by the 1999 Constitution to check the excesses of the executive,” a female lawmaker stated.
Others accused Governor Fubara of pursuing an authoritarian style of governance and attempting to weaken the legislative arm.
“The strategy is to eliminate the legislature and concentrate power in the executive. That is unacceptable in a democracy,” another member said.
The lawmakers maintained that their actions were guided by the Constitution and recent judicial pronouncements, including warnings attributed to the Supreme Court on governance issues in Rivers State.
They concluded by urging the Speaker to reconvene the House to allow impeachment proceedings to continue, stressing that any attempt to undermine the Assembly would pose a serious threat to democracy.
As of the time of filing this report, the Rivers State Government had not issued an official response to the lawmakers’ statements.
