Di political space for Rivers state South-South Nigeria don become tense since late Sunday 29 October 2023 wen tori begin fly say plans dey to impeach di governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Same Sunday evening, Suspected hoodlums set fire for Assembly complex but Federal Fire Service and security agencies bin help to put off di fire.
Tori wey dey now be say Rivers State House of Assembly say dem don resolve to serve govnor Siminalayi Fubara notice of impeachment as dem suspend four oda members indefinitely.
Even though di state assembly get power to impeach any govnor incase need arise, e get process, dis na according to di Nigeria constitution.
However, govnor Siminalayi Fubara don tok say im no commit any offence to warrant impeachment by di Rivers State House of Assembly.
“Make dem come out and tell Rivers pipo di offence I don commit to warrant any impeachment,” di govnor bin tok while e dey address im supporters for di state Assembly Complex.
Fubara further tok say im go address di mata wen time reach.
Steps to take to Impeach a govnor
To impeach a state govnor for Nigeria na serious mata, as di govnor go need do sometin wey dey against di constitution of Nigeria bifor e fit face impeachment.
Dis na sake of say di govnor enta of office sake of one mandate of plenty pipo wey put dia trust for di individual to fit direct affairs of dia state for period wey di constitution approve.
Sake of dis, e get step by step strict process wey authorities must follow incase need dey to comot any govnor for office.
Proccess to impeach state govnor dey section 188 of di 1999 constitution of Nigeria.
Step 1
Notice of any allegation in writing wey allege gross misconduct on di part of di govnor. Dis notice must dey signed by not less dan one-third of di members of di State Assembly and e go dey presented to di Speaker of di State House of Assembly.
Step 2
Speaker of di State House of Assembly must within 7 days, serve di govnor of di state and each member of di State Assembly wit one copy of di notice of allegation.
Step 3
Di govnor get right of reply (e/she fit no reply), and any kain statement to reply to di allegation must dey served on each member of di State House of Assembly.
Step 4
Within 14 days of di presentation of di notice to di Speaker of di State House of Assembly need resolve by motion without any debate whether or not dem suppose investigate di allegation. Dis motion need pass by at least two-thirds majority of all members of di State House of Assembly.
Step 5
If di motion fail to reach di two-thirds majority, di process go immediately stop, and no further action go dey taken. However, if di two-thirds majority dey obtained and di motion dey passed, den di Speaker of di State House of Assembly go within seven days wey dem pass di motion, request di Chief Judge to appoint one Panel of seven pesins wey for im opinion dey of unquestionable integrity to investigate di allegations. Di members of di panel no fit be members of any public service, legislative house or political party.
Step 6
Di panel go need report dia findings within three months of appointment. Di findings go dey reported to di Stae House of Assembly. During di proceeding, di govnor go get right to defend imself and also dey represented bifo di Panel by legal practitioners of im/her own choice.
Step 7
One Panel go dey appointed wey go;
(a) Get dat kain power and exercise in function according wit di kind procedure as e fit dey prescribed by di State House of Assembly; and
(b) Within three months of dia appointment report dia findings to each House of di House of Assembly.
Step 8
Wia di panel report say di allegation never dey proven, further action no go dey. However, if di report be say di allegation against di govnor dey true, den di State House of Assembly go consider di report, and di resolution for di adoption of di report go dey moved.
Step 9
For di resolution to dey adopted, e need to dey supported by not less dan two-thirds majority of all di members of di State House of Assembly. Once e dey adopted di govnor go stand removed from office as from di date of di adoption of di report.
Step 10
No proceedings or determination of di panel or of di House of Assembly or any mata wey relate to dat kind proceedings or determination go dey entertained or questioned for any court.
Step 11
For dis section, “gross misconduct” mean grave violation or breach of di provisions of dis constitution or any misconduct of dat kind nature as e amount for di opinion for di House of Assembly to gross opinion.
How Siminialayi Fubara emerge PDP governor
Siminialayi Fubara, na former accountant-general wit di Rivers State goment.
E win di PDP governorship primary election wey dem conduct on di night of Wednesday 23 May 2022 for Obi Wali Conference Centre, Port Harcourt.
E come from Opobo Town in Opobo/Nkoro Local Goment Area of Rivers State.
Fubara poll 721 votes to beat di oda 16 governorship aspirants wey bin contest di primary election as
Isaac Kamalu from Eleme get 86 votes to finish second while Alabo Dakorinama George-Kelly and Tammy Danagogo come third and fourth with 37 votes and 36 votes respectively.
For im appreciation speech, Fubara bin attribute im victory to God’s grace, come add say di victory na for di PDP.
“Grace dey at work. Dis no be victory for Fubara. Na victory for di party. No be just victory for di party, but na for moving di state forward,” e bin tok.
Fubara bin say di essence of im emergence na to consolidate on di success of Governor Nyesom Wike administration.
Den, Governor Nyesom Wike bin describe di emergence of Siminialayi Fubara as an act of God.
“Power comes from God. Wen I become governor, I never know say I go be governor. Make evribodi see am as di way wey God design am,” Wike bin tok.
