Rivers assembly vows not to receive 2026 budget, accuses Fubara, Depty of disregard to laws, financial misappropriation

Rivers State House of Assembly has commenced processes to impeach the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, and his Deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu.

The Assembly led by its Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, said the decision stemmed from alleged failure of Fubara and his deputy, Odu, to present budget to the state.

The Assembly alleged that Fubara has refused to allow the assembly make inputs in the appropriation bills of the state, adding that the offences are impeacheable.

This was contained in a motion moved to the assembly by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Dumle Maol and seconded by Hon. Silvernus Nwankwo, Thursday.  Hon. Major Jack, the majority leader of the House, who read the notice presented allegations of gross misconduct against the governor.

Relying on section 188 of the constitution, Hon Major Jack reels out 7 points of gross misconduct against Gov Fubara, some of the accusations included the demolition of the Assembly Complex, extra budgetary spending, withholding funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission, a refusal to obey the supreme court on the financial autonomy of the house.

After the Majority Leader lays his notice before the Speaker, the deputy leader, Hon Linda Stewart also brought forward a notice of gross misconduct against the deputy governor, Prof Ngozi Odu. Some of the gross misconducts are;

The issue raised are Reckless and Unconstitutional spending of public funds. Obstructing the House of Assembly from performing her constitutional duties as outlined by the 1999 constitution.

“Conniving to allow unauthorized persons to occupy offices without proper screening by the legitimate House of Assembly. Approaching another group of people for budgetary approval instead of the legitimate Rivers State House of Assembly. Seizure of salaries and allowances accruing to the RSHA and the Assembly Service Commission. Among others.”

Commentin on the motion, the speaker of the House, Amaewhule, said the misconducts in notice is centered around presentation of budget and spending outside the state’s appropriation bill.

Amaewhule said: “It is important that the process we are about to go through in line with the provisions of the constitution and the particulars of those misconducts have a lot to do with the presentation of budget, spending outside the appropriation law, which coroborates what members also indicated in that notice.

“But we are not discussing the notice, or when they make a reference to it, which is that there is a notice, and the process of impeachment is on, as we speak. In any case, the governor does not even want to present any budget, because if he wanted to, he would have brought it all this while.

“Siminalayi Fubara is a mistake. He is a mistake. Rivers has never had it this bad. In the entire Nigeria, Siminalayi Fubara and Prof. Ngozi Odu are the only two people in the office at the sub-national level that are yet to present 2026 appropriation fee.

“I’m sure if you go to the entire African sub-region, even Africa, you will not find any sub-national government that has not presented an appropriation fee for 2026.

“Who would believe that in this 21st century, that a state like Rivers State will not have an appropriation fee, either present or past? Nothing is holding the governor for presenting it. He chose not to.

“He has been boasting, he has been saying it to his followers, that this assembly, we are nothing but two closed doors. That this state-represented assembly, we cannot enforce the constitution. This is a sad commentary for our democracy.”

He alleged that even when the assembly approved a budget for the governor, that he abandoned it and started awarding contracts away from the appropriation bill.

He said “Even when we had an approval in 2023 for the governor to spend, the governor left the appropriation law of 2023 and started awarding contracts outside the budget.

“So in other words, what the governor is doing with our funds, funds of Rivers people, the poor Rivers men and women who have paid taxes, is to change our money to dollars and be given to Rivers people to stop us to survive the constitution.

“For how long are we going to allow this to happen? Our schools are not functioning. Our schools are not functioning the way they should function. Rivers people are suffering. Our youth are not being employed. Our roads are bad.

Our hospitals, health centres are not fully functional. A lot of them are having issues. Rather than follow through the process, what the governor has decided to do is to save money, change it to dollars to subvert the will of the rivers people, to subvert the constitution. He claimed that Fubara is a threat to democracy, saying “enough is enough.”

He said thrawn has to take its course in the development, adding that President Bola Tinubu has done enough to ensure that Fubara turned a new leaf, but regretted that the governor has remained unchanged.

He said: “Let the law take its course. The law has to take its course. We thank Mr. President. He is a father. Mr. President has done his best. Mr. President has spoken to the governor. In my presence, Mr. President told the governor, I’m giving you a second chance. The governor refused.

“He gave him another one, the governor refused. How many times? Distinguished colleagues, I thank you for your contributions. Prayers have been properly conveyed by members.

“Distinguished colleagues, by this motion, this house thereby condemns the refusal of the governor of Rivers state to present the middle-term expedition framework and the 2026 appropriation bill in line with the Rivers State laws and the constitution, respectively, as well as a reckless spending from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State.

“On this the house is declaring that the house will not proceed with any action for presentation of the middle-term expedition framework and appropriation bill 2026 until the investigation of gross misconduct levelled against the governor has completed.” Amaewhule, however, adjourned proceesing on thr impeachment proceedings till 15th of January.