Opposition lawmakers dismiss Rivers Assembly’s impeachment move as invalid

By Sola Richards

The Nigeria Opposition Lawmakers Coalition has dismissed the impeachment move against Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, describing it as an invalid attempt by pro-Wike lawmakers to avoid the presentation of the 2025 budget.

This follows a notice of alleged misconduct served today by the Rivers State House of Assembly against Governor Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, amid ongoing tensions over the governor’s scheduled budget presentation.

Governor Fubara, in a letter dated March 13, 2025, addressed to Speaker Martins Amaewhule, had expressed his intention to present the 2025 Appropriation Bill on March 19, or any other date within the month, after being denied access to the Assembly last week.

Reacting to the development, opposition lawmakers, through their spokesperson, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, urged Rivers residents to ignore what they called “a desperate ploy” to create a crisis in the state.

“There is no valid impeachment notice against the governor, just a desperate strategy to distract from their unconstitutional refusal to accept the budget,” Ugochinyere said.

He accused pro-Wike lawmakers of attempting to divert attention from their failure to comply with a Supreme Court ruling that mandated them to receive the budget from the governor.

“There is still a valid court judgment barring them from any impeachment move. As long as that order stands, they can only dream of removing Fubara,” he added.

Ugochinyere further alleged that the lawmakers’ real motive was not the budget but to inflict hardship on the people of Rivers State.

“They dragged the state to the Supreme Court over the budget, and when they won, the governor complied and presented the budget. Yet, they ran away instead of receiving it. Their interest is not governance but ensuring Rivers people suffer,” he said.

The coalition also condemned the lawmakers for allegedly fabricating claims against the state Chief Judge in an effort to pressure him into supporting their impeachment attempt.

“They suddenly wake up from recess to commence a non-existent impeachment on the same grounds of budget presentation refusal when they are the ones avoiding the budget. Their ultimate goal is to install a Speaker loyal to Wike as governor, but that move is dead on arrival,” the statement read.

The lawmakers called on Rivers residents to remain calm, assuring that the impeachment attempt “will amount to nothing.”