Two additional members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have urged colleagues to withdraw impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, following the January 8 move to impeach the governor.
The impeachment notice accuses Fubara of gross misconduct, citing allegations such as the demolition of the Assembly complex, extra-budgetary spending, and defiance of a Supreme Court ruling on legislative autonomy.
Lawmakers Barile Nwakoh (Khana Constituency I) and Emilia Amadi (Obio/Akpor Constituency II) made the appeal on Wednesday, just 24 hours after two other legislators had publicly adopted a similar stance.
Although the lawmakers acknowledged that the governor and his deputy breached constitutional provisions, they said their call for withdrawal was prompted by interventions from well-meaning leaders in the state.
Two Assembly members had earlier withdrawn support for the impeachment plot during a press conference in Port Harcourt, urging colleagues to suspend the move and seek alternative means to resolve the political crisis.
At the briefing, Minority Leader Sylvanus Nwankwo, representing Omuma State Constituency, called on the Assembly to exercise restraint.
“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 said.
He added that the appeal was influenced by pleas from elders and leaders within and outside the state:
“That is why we are here this morning to appeal to the conscience of our fellow colleagues, having listened to so many pleas and calls from our elders and leaders, both within and outside the state, begging for leniency,” he explained.
With the latest development, four out of the 26 lawmakers who initially signed the impeachment notice have now expressed support for a peaceful resolution of the political impasse.
The Rivers State House of Assembly is scheduled to resume plenary on January 15, 2026.
