The Rivers State House of Assembly has formally begun impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Oduh.
During a plenary session on Thursday, presided over by Speaker Martins Amaewhule and broadcast live on Channels Television, the Majority Leader, Major Jack, read a notice outlining allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Fubara. The notice, signed by 26 lawmakers, cited actions allegedly in violation of the Nigerian Constitution.
Speaker Amaewhule stated that the notice would be formally served to Governor Fubara within the next seven days.
The Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Linda Stewart, also read out the notice of allegations and gross misconduct against Oduh.
Relying on Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution, Jack reeled out seven points of alleged gross misconduct against Fubara.
Some of the accusations include 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 Jack laid his notice before the Speaker, who said the notice would be served to the governor in seven days, the deputy leader, Linda Stewart, also brought forward a notice of gross misconduct against Odu.
According to the report, some of the gross misconduct allegations against Odu included reckless and unconstitutional spending of public funds, obstruction of the House of Assembly from performing her constitutional duties as outlined by the 1999 Constitution, conniving to allow unauthorised persons to occupy offices without proper screening by the legitimate House of Assembly.
Other allegations were that she approached 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.