Four members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who had earlier urged a political solution to the state’s crisis have reversed their stance and thrown their weight behind the impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.
The lawmakers made their new position known on Friday during a live press conference in Port Harcourt, where they joined their colleagues in insisting that the governor no longer enjoys the confidence of the Assembly to resolve the lingering political turmoil in the oil-rich state.
At the briefing, the legislators accused Governor Fubara of blackmail, intimidation and repeated violations of the 1999 Constitution, arguing that such actions had eroded trust between the executive and the legislature.
They said the Assembly was left with no option but to invoke its constitutional powers to commence impeachment proceedings.
The lawmakers further alleged that both the governor and his deputy attempted to undermine the independence of the legislature, describing the situation as a direct threat to democratic governance in the state.
Despite their hardline position, the legislators expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for intervening in the crisis and appealed to the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, to reconvene the Assembly to allow legislative activities resume.
In a dramatic shift, the four lawmakers who had previously canvassed dialogue and reconciliation publicly recanted their earlier position, declaring full support for the continuation of the impeachment process against the governor and his deputy.
Shortly after the press conference, the lawmakers moved to the Assembly complex where a plenary session was held.
During the sitting, members unanimously voted to commence an investigation into allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Governor Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu.
