Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have thrown down the gauntlet, vowing to push through the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara despite rising political tension in the state.

The renewed resolve followed a dramatic turnaround by four lawmakers who had earlier stepped back from the impeachment process but have now returned to the hardline camp.

Between Monday and Wednesday, Sylvanus Nwankwo (Omuma), Peter Abbey (Degema), Barile Nwakoh (Khana I) and Emilia Amadi (Obio/Akpor II) had announced their withdrawal, citing dialogue and reconciliation.

However, during a live plenary session on Friday, the lawmakers reversed course, accusing the governor and his deputy of hostility and ignoring repeated appeals for dialogue.

Following the reversal, the Assembly voted unanimously to proceed with the impeachment process.

Speaker Martin Amaewhule said the action was firmly rooted in Section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

“Those in favour that the investigation should proceed are 25 in number, against nil, abstention nil,” Amaewhule declared, adding that a letter would be sent to the Chief Judge to immediately constitute a seven-man investigative panel.

The Assembly subsequently adjourned proceedings until Tuesday, January 27.

‘Only Impeachment Can Save Rivers’ — Lawmakers Accuse Fubara of Intimidation

Before the heated plenary session, Deputy Speaker Dumle Maol openly accused Governor Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, of intimidation, blackmail and constitutional breaches.

Maol said all previous peace moves failed because the governor allegedly reneged on agreements and could not be trusted.

“Previous attempts at resolving the political quagmire failed because the governor does not abide by agreements,” he said, insisting impeachment was now unavoidable.

He further accused Fubara of deploying the EFCC and the media to intimidate lawmakers while refusing to respond to allegations.

Maol also thanked President Bola Tinubu for stepping in to mediate the crisis.

‘Governor Paid Our Constituents to Recall Us’ — Fresh Allegations Rock Rivers Crisis

Adding fuel to the fire, Akuku-Toru Constituency II lawmaker Looloo Opuende accused the governor of covertly sponsoring recall attempts against Assembly members.

Opuende alleged that while stakeholders were pursuing reconciliation, Fubara was allegedly paying constituents to initiate recall processes.

“While the impeachment process was ongoing, the governor was busy paying our constituents to recall us from the Assembly,” he claimed.

He argued that if the governor truly wanted peace, he would have engaged the Assembly leadership directly.

Opuende maintained that impeachment was constitutional and urged the Speaker to press ahead.

He also challenged critics of the process to examine the root cause of the executive-legislative rift in Rivers State.

‘This Is a Scripted Drama’ — Fubara Camp Fires Back at Lawmakers

Reacting to the allegations, Fubara’s Special Assistant on Political Matters, Darlington Orji, dismissed the lawmakers’ actions as rehearsed theatrics.

Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, Orji described the impeachment saga as a power struggle rather than a constitutional issue.

“Everybody knows that they are acting a script,” he said, questioning the lawmakers’ sudden change of position.

He described the crisis as a battle for the soul of Rivers State, alleging attempts to control the governor.

“It is a supremacy battle where a man thinks that he made him governor and can pull him out any day,” Orji said, expressing confidence that Fubara would prevail.

Court Steps In: Impeachment Temporarily Frozen

In a dramatic legal twist, a Rivers State High Court sitting in Oyigbo issued an interim injunction halting the impeachment process.

The court restrained the Speaker, Clerk of the House and others from sending any correspondence to the Chief Judge.

Justice F.A. Fiberesima also barred the Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, from acting on any request to constitute an investigative panel for seven days.

The judge granted permission for the court order to be served at the Assembly gate.

The case was adjourned to January 23, setting the stage for a legal showdown that could redefine Rivers State politics.