POLITICS
Impeachment: Rivers House of Assembly Fails to Reconvene After One-Week Adjournment
The political uncertainty surrounding Rivers State intensified on Thursday as the State House of Assembly, under the leadership of Speaker Martin Amaewhule, failed to resume plenary a full week after adjourning its last sitting.
The Assembly had, during its first sitting of 2026 held last Thursday, initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu. The lawmakers cited allegations of gross misconduct, including the demolition of the State Assembly complex and expenditures allegedly carried out without legislative approval, among other issues. At the end of that sitting, plenary was adjourned to January 15, 2026.
However, as of noon on the scheduled resumption date, there was no indication that the House would reconvene. A visit to the Assembly’s temporary sitting venue, the conference hall within its official legislative quarters along Aba Road showed no legislative activity, with the premises largely quiet and devoid of the usual signs associated with plenary sessions.
No official explanation has been issued regarding the failure to resume, and the Assembly has not announced a new date for continuation of proceedings, further fueling speculation and uncertainty over the fate of the impeachment process.
Attempts to obtain clarification from the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions, and Complaints, Eneme George, were unsuccessful. Calls placed to his phone were unanswered, and messages sent had not received a response as of the time this report was filed.
The unexpected delay adds another layer of suspense to the ongoing political standoff in Rivers State, as residents and political observers await the next move from the legislature amid a rapidly evolving crisis.