Rivers Assembly Asks Chief Judge to Investigate Fubara, Deputy As Impeachment Moves Forward

The Rivers State House of Assembly has passed a formal resolution requesting the state’s Chief Judge to initiate an investigation into alleged misconduct by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, marking a procedural advancement in the ongoing impeachment process.

During a plenary session on Friday, lawmakers voted in favour of the motion to refer the matter to the judiciary under Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), signalling a shift from preliminary proceedings to judicial scrutiny.

The House’s action follows the commencement of the impeachment process earlier in January 2026.

The resolution directs the Clerk of the Assembly to formally communicate with the Chief Judge to constitute a seven-member panel to examine allegations brought against the governor and his deputy.

The assembly’s move comes amid charges that include budgetary impropriety, failure to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the legislature, unauthorised expenditure of public funds, and withholding statutory allocations to the House—claims lawmakers consider to potentially amount to gross misconduct.

Presiding over the session, Martins Amaewhule, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, instructed that the communication to the state’s chief judicial authority be made within the constitutionally stipulated timeframe, reinforcing the legislature’s intention to pursue the investigation as part of its oversight function.

The development marks the next procedural step in the impeachment process, which began on January 8, 2026, when notices of gross misconduct were reportedly served on both Fubara and Odu by legislators.

The Speaker’s directive to the chief judge reflects the Assembly’s assertion that the accusations warrant formal inquiry before further legislative action.