By Daniel Abia, P/Harcourt
The Rivers state House of Assembly is not backing down any time soon on its threat to impeach the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu over the allegation of “gross misconduct” leveled against them by 26 lawmakers in the 32-man Assembly.
This is as the lawmakers refused to give audience to the 7-member peace and reconciliation committee of the pan Niger Delta Elders Forum, PANDEF, led by an erudite lawyer and former Attorney General of the federation, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN).
The committee stormed Port Harcourt last Saturday and had “successful” meetings with the Rivers State Leaders/Elders Forum, with the former governor and former deputy governor of the state, Chief Rufus Ada George and Sir Gabriel Toby, as chairman and vice chairman, respectively, and the Rivers State Elders Council, led by Chief Ferdinand Anabraba, a close ally of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, separately.
A reliable source who was in the meeting revealed that every effort by the leadership of the peace panel to reach out to the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule for a possible audience, did not yield any results.
“The committee made frantic efforts to reach out to the speaker of the House, Amaewhule, but the young man didn’t pick their calls. The committee also tried to reach them through Chief Anabraba, he did not still pick his calls. I don’t know what they really want.
“We persuaded the committee to wait a little longer and see if they will have a change of heart to meet with the peace delegation, but the visitors couldn’t wait any longer. These are eminent people with credible track records who are also very busy people. So, they left and promised to try to get to the Assembly people some other time. ”.
It is obvious that the lawmakers may not be disposed to resolving the political impasse in the state but bent on ensuring that the governor is removed from office. The peace committee was given two weeks to reconcile the warring parties in the crisis and turn in its report for further action.
Meanwhile, the Assembly had adjourned sitting to Tuesday, January 27, 2026. And there is apprehension that the lawmakers may go ahead with the impeachment proceedings as the Assembly had earlier transmitted a letter to the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Simeon Amadi to set up a 7-man panel to investigate all the allegations leveled against the governor.
Recall that last Thursday, the Agabi-peace committee had met with the minister, Wike, before having another round of meetings with the state governor, Fubara, on Friday in Port Harcourt. The committee had also met with Chief Ferdinand Anabraba last week.
Meanwhile, a credible source informed that there is no possibility that the chief judge of the state would form the panel to investigate the alleged gross misconduct on the governor. He said that “the state High court has issued an order where the CJ’s name was also mentioned. He cannot disobey the law. He must do exactly what the court says.
“There is a possibility also that the Amaewhule group may likely go on Appeal, but the fact remains that the CJ has been ordered by the state High court sitting in Port Harcourt not to do anything contrary. If there was no court order, I can tell you sincerely that the CJ would not have any option but to setup the investigative panel”, the source said.
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