The Rivers State House of Assembly has formally asked the state’s Chief Judge to appoint a seven-member panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, moving the impeachment process into a new phase.
The request follows a reversal by four lawmakers who now support the impeachment move, a shift that strengthens the Assembly’s position against the governor.
Minority Leader Sylvanus Nkwankwo said the change of stance was due to the governor’s failure to seek reconciliation amid the political crisis in the state.
Another lawmaker, Peter Abbey, said the process is grounded in constitutional breaches, not ethnic or tribal considerations.
Under Nigeria’s constitution, the Chief Judge is required to set up an independent panel to investigate the allegations once a formal request is made. The panel’s findings will determine whether the impeachment process proceeds in the Assembly.
