The Rivers State House of Assembly has alleged that certain individuals are plotting to secure ex parte orders from High Courts outside the Port Harcourt Judicial Division to prevent the legislature from carrying out its constitutional responsibilities.
In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Dr. Enemi Alabo George, the Assembly said it had received “credible information” on the alleged moves.
The allegation comes amid an escalating political crisis in the state. Last Thursday, the House, through a motion sponsored by Deputy Speaker Dumle Maol, resolved to commence an investigation into the financial and administrative activities of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Central to the allegations against the governor is the purported failure to submit the Mid-Term Expenditure Framework as required by law, as well as claims of expenditure of public funds without legislative appropriation. Lawmakers argued that these actions amounted to grave violations of constitutional provisions and undermined the authority of the legislature.
Shortly after the sitting, an impeachment notice against the governor and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, circulated widely on social media. The House later confirmed that impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy were ongoing, with official notices of allegations of gross misconduct formally forwarded to both officials.
In a statement dated January 9, 2026, and signed by Dr. George, the Assembly emphasised that the process was “fully on course in line with relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”
“The two notices of allegations of gross misconduct brought pursuant to Section 188 of the Constitution against the Governor and Deputy Governor have been forwarded to them by the Speaker of the House, while we await their responses,” the statement said.
The Rivers Elders and Leadership Forum, civil society organisations, individuals and residents have expressed deep concern and condemned the impeachment notice issued against Governor Fubara and his deputy.
However, in a fresh statement issued on January 11, the Assembly alleged that the individuals involved were seeking to exploit courts outside Port Harcourt to obtain ex-parte orders “aimed at stopping the Rivers State House of Assembly from performing its constitutional duties.”
It also cited Section 188(10) of the Constitution, which stipulates that no court shall entertain or question proceedings or determinations of a panel or House of Assembly relating to allegations of gross misconduct. The statement further referenced recent judicial pronouncements, including a Court of Appeal decision that nullified a similar ex-parte order issued by a Rivers State High Court in contravention of constitutional provisions.
“A word is enough for the wise,” the statement warned.The House called on those concerned to exercise restraint and refrain from actions capable of undermining the Constitution and the rule of law. It advised office holders served with notices of allegations of gross misconduct to respond to the allegations “item by item,” rather than resorting to what it described as subterranean moves or the use of proxies to malign the Assembly in the media.
The Assembly reaffirmed its commitment to constitutionalism and the rule of law, while urging calm in the state.Meanwhile, the governor and members of his cabinet have maintained silence over the developments.
The Rivers Elders and Leadership Forum, in a statement signed by its Acting Chairman and former Deputy Governor Gabriel Toby, described impeachment as a grave constitutional process that should not be deployed as an instrument for political vendetta or factional battles.
According to the forum, the reasons so far advanced in support of the impeachment move are “disturbingly weak”, lacking in substance, public interest justification and constitutional merit, and appear to be driven by narrow personal interests rather than genuine concern for good governance.
The elders reminded the House of Assembly that the mandate of the governor was freely given by the people of Rivers State and can only be questioned in strict compliance with constitutional provisions, due process, and on the basis of clear, compelling, and verifiable grounds.
They warned that the current action could deepen political divisions, erode public confidence in democratic institutions and further destabilise the state’s polity. The forum noted that Rivers State is yet to fully recover from the political, social and institutional disruptions associated with the recent period of emergency rule, adding that the people are still bearing the consequences of that episode.
Similarly, the Civil Liberty Organisation, in a statement signed by its State Chairman, Sunny Dada, and Secretary, Dr. Chris Onyegbule, expressed concern that the prevailing political tensions could distort constitutional procedures and turn them into instruments of conflict rather than democratic oversight.
