A sharp division has emerged within the Rivers State House of Assembly following a call by two lawmakers for their colleagues to halt the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.
In a surprising development on Monday, the House Minority Leader, Hon. Sylvanus Nwankwo (Omuma Constituency), addressed a press conference in Port Harcourt, urging the Assembly to temper justice with mercy and explore political alternatives to removing the Governor.
“We have called this press conference to appeal to our colleagues to temper justice with mercy and to see how we can resolve this matter apart from impeachment proceedings,” Nwankwo stated.
“That is why we are here this morning to appeal to the conscience of our fellow colleagues. Having listened to so many pleas, calls from our elders and leaders, both within and outside the state, begging for leniency… we are appealing to them to reconsider our stand.”
Nwankwo admitted that while the Governor and his Deputy may have infringed on the Constitution, a peaceful resolution remains the best path forward for the state.
Supporting the call for leniency, Hon. Peter Abbey (Degema Constituency) described the situation as one requiring a human approach.
“He [Fubara] has infringed on parts of the Constitution, but we are human beings, and we, as members of the 10th Assembly, want to plead with our colleagues to please reconsider,” Abbey said.
He further noted that the Governor has a responsibility to de-escalate the crisis by ensuring no further constitutional breaches occur, paving the way for a settlement.
The intervention by the two lawmakers, however, contrasts sharply with the official position of the House leadership.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Hon. Alabo Enemi George, maintained on Monday that the impeachment process remains fully on course.
When asked if the House would back down, George insisted that nothing would stop the constitutional process, confirming that both the Governor and his Deputy have already been served with impeachment notices.
