Impeachment Row: Fubara Confirms No Notice as Two Rivers Lawmakers Withdraw Support

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has confirmed that he has not received any formal notice of impeachment from the State House of Assembly, four days after 27 lawmakers initiated impeachment proceedings against him and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.

The impeachment move was launched last Thursday by the majority faction of the Assembly aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over allegations of misconduct.

Despite assurances by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, that the notice would be delivered to the governor, a senior source in Government House said on Monday evening that no official communication had reached either the governor or his deputy.

According to the source, Governor Fubara returned from an overseas trip on Sunday and immediately resumed official duties, including attending the Armed Forces Remembrance Day church service and inspecting ongoing projects across the state.

“He has not received or reviewed any impeachment letter. As of now, there is nothing from the Assembly,” the source said.

Meanwhile, two lawmakers backing the impeachment have withdrawn their support and appealed to the Assembly to suspend the process.

The Minority Leader of the House and representative of Omuma State Constituency, Sylvanus Nwankwo, alongside Peter Abbey of Degema State Constituency, made the appeal during a press conference in Port Harcourt on Monday, calling for dialogue and restraint.

Nwankwo said the intervention followed appeals from elders and political leaders within and outside the state, urging lawmakers to seek alternatives to impeachment.

Abbey also called for caution, saying lawmakers should consider the wider consequences of their actions, while urging the governor to avoid steps that could escalate the crisis.

The development follows the conclusion of Wike’s thank-you tour of local government areas in Rivers State. The tour ended on Sunday, after which the minister returned to Abuja.

Wike did not visit Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the governor’s home council, and no official reason was given for the omission.

Amid the growing tension, the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) has constituted a seven-member reconciliation committee to mediate in the crisis.

PANDEF described the impeachment process as troubling and warned of the risk of further instability. The group urged all parties to cooperate with the committee and prioritise peace, dialogue, and good governance in Rivers State.

The forum also commended President Bola Tinubu and other stakeholders for efforts aimed at restoring stability in the state.