Political tensions escalated in Rivers State on Thursday as the State House of Assembly resolved to bar Governor Siminalayi Fubara from presenting the Mid-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the 2026 budget, pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations of gross misconduct against him and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu.
The decision followed a plenary session in which the 10th Assembly formally initiated impeachment proceedings against both officials. Lawmakers adopted a motion mandating a probe into the governor’s financial and administrative conduct.
At the centre of the allegations is Fubara’s alleged failure to submit the MTEF as required by law, as well as claims that public funds were spent without legislative appropriation. Legislators said the alleged actions amounted to serious constitutional breaches and an erosion of the Assembly’s authority.
During the debate, several lawmakers accused the governor of defying reconciliation efforts led by President Bola Tinubu, who they said had intervened repeatedly to resolve the state’s political crisis. They alleged that agreements reached during those interventions were not honoured by the governor.
Based on these claims, the Assembly resolved that Fubara would not be allowed to present the MTEF or the 2026 budget until the investigation into the alleged misconduct is concluded.
Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, said the Assembly was acting within its constitutional mandate and would ensure due process throughout the impeachment proceedings. “The law must take its full course,” he told lawmakers.
Amaewhule also cited a Supreme Court judgment which he said implicated both the governor and his deputy, insisting the crisis should not be reduced to a personal feud between Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. “This is about the Constitution, not personalities,” he said.
Public reaction across Rivers State has been mixed. While some residents expressed concern about the potential impact on governance and economic stability, others dismissed the Assembly’s action as politically motivated.
Political analysts say the move to halt the budget process marks a critical moment in Rivers State’s prolonged power struggle, with the probe’s outcome likely to shape the state’s political direction in the coming months.
