Four Days On, No Impeachment Notice Served on Fubara as Process Loses Momentum

Four days after impeachment proceedings were initiated against Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, he has yet to be formally served with any notice, casting doubt on claims that the process has advanced beyond initial legislative steps.

Sources within government circles confirmed that the governor has not received any impeachment letter since the motion was raised on the floor of the Rivers State House of Assembly last Thursday. According to one senior official, Governor Fubara only returned to Nigeria from an official engagement in Europe late Saturday night.

The source explained that the governor attended church on Sunday to mark the Armed Forces Remembrance Day and thereafter travelled to Abuja, where he remains as of the time of filing this report.

“Given his movements over the past few days, it would not have been possible to serve him with any notice,” the source said. “Reports suggesting otherwise are inaccurate.”

Last Thursday, 26 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, citing allegations of gross misconduct. The lawmakers are widely believed to be aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

However, indications have emerged that the impeachment process may be stalling. A prominent Niger Delta elder disclosed that discreet efforts are ongoing to defuse the political tension in the state.

According to the elder, various stakeholders are engaged in consultations aimed at preventing further escalation of the crisis, expressing confidence that the impeachment initiative would not progress.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State House of Assembly has alleged that attempts are being made to secure a court order restraining it from carrying out its legislative functions. Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Dr Enemi Alabo George, claimed that individuals linked to the state government were seeking an ex parte order from a Rivers State High Court sitting outside the Port Harcourt Judicial Division.

George warned that such an order, if granted, would amount to an unlawful interference with the constitutional duties of the Assembly. He advised those served with notices of alleged misconduct to respond through lawful channels rather than seek judicial or media intervention.

In a parallel development, the Board of Trustees of the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) has inaugurated a seven-member mediation committee in Abuja to intervene in the Rivers State political crisis. The committee, chaired by former Attorney General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi, is expected to engage all parties involved and recommend measures to reduce tensions.

There are also unverified reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has advised the Rivers State House of Assembly to halt impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy. The President was reportedly said to have urged the lawmakers to consult the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress while cautioning against actions that could deepen political divisions in the state.