The political crisis in Rivers took on a new level, after lawmakers in the oil-rich state accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy Ngozi Odu of egregious misconduct on Monday.
The parliamentarians decided to forward the letter with the claims to Governor Fubara and the deputy governor during Monday’s plenary.
The accusations were made by 26 Rivers Assembly members in two letters to speaker Martin Amaewhule, which were then forwarded to Fubara and his deputy.
According to them, their action was “in compliance with Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and other extant laws”, which mandates that such allegations be signed by at least one-third of the House members and specify the particulars of the misconduct.
The letters, signed by the 26 lawmakers, were presented during Monday’s plenary session in compliance with Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), 1999. The Speaker is required to ensure that the notices are served on the officeholders and all members of the House within seven days of receipt.
Separate warnings were sent to the governor and the deputy governor outlining the charges, which included five distinct cases of egregious misbehaviour.
The lawmakers charged Fubara with, among other things, using public funds carelessly and in violation of the constitution, impeding or obstructing the Rivers State House of Assembly, another branch of the government, and appointing individuals to positions within the Rivers State Government without allowing for the necessary screening and confirmation.
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The confiscation of salaries, allowances, and assets that belonged to the legal Rivers State House of Assembly, as well as the seizure of the salary of Emeka Amadi, the Clerk of the Rivers State House of Assembly, are further charges against the Rivers governor.
They also accused Odu of “conniving and supporting the illegal appointment of persons to occupy offices/positions in the Rivers State Government without allowing for the requirement of screening and confirmation”.
Meanwhile, Amaewhule on Monday officially transmitted the notices to Governor Fubara and his deputy and said the allegations were raised by “not less than one-third (1/3) of the membership of the Rivers State House of Assembly”.
Speaker Amaewhule, in the letter transmitting the claims, asked them to “reply to the allegations made against you in the said ‘Notice of Allegations of Gross Misconduct’ accordingly”.
“In doing this, your attention is drawn to the provisions of Section 188(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), which provides thus: ‘Within 14 days of the presentation of the notice to the Speaker of the House of Assembly (whether or not any statement made by the holder of the office in reply to the allegation contained in the notice), the House of Assembly shall resolve by motion, without any debate, whether or not the allegation shall be investigated’,” the speaker said in a letter sent to Fubara.
Monday’s development is a significant twist in the political tensions within Rivers State. But it is unclear how Governor Fubara and his deputy will respond to these allegations or navigate the mounting pressure from the legislative arm of the state government.
In a related development, the Assembly passed a resolution inviting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the Secretary to the State Government, Tammy Danagogo, over allegations of financial recklessness during his tenure. This move further intensifies the political crisis engulfing the oil-rich state.
