The Rivers State House of Assembly has halted the impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngọzi Odu.
The Port City (TCPN) earlier reported that the Assembly began the impeachment proceedings on 8 January, following allegations of gross misconduct against Fubara and Odu.
However, during a plenary at the resumed sitting in Port Harcourt, lawmakers decided to suspend the process after a court restrained both the Assembly and the state Chief Judge from proceeding.
Sources indicated that the suspension followed a peace-brokering meeting between President Bola Tinubu, Fubara, and his predecessor and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
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The allegations against the governor included the demolition of the Assembly complex, extra-budgetary spending, withholding of funds intended for the Assembly Service Commission, and refusal to comply with a Supreme Court ruling on legislative financial autonomy. Other acts were also cited as constituting gross misconduct.
The House had earlier served impeachment notices to Fubara and Odu and requested the state Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, to establish a seven-man panel to investigate the allegations.
Justice Amadi declined, citing a subsisting High Court order that barred him from taking any further action.
Fubara and Odu had separately secured injunctions from a Port Harcourt High Court restraining the Chief Judge from acting on the Assembly’s request or constituting the probe panel.
Details shortly…
