Martins Amaewhule, speaker of the Rivers house of assembly, has accused Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state, and Ngozi Odu, his deputy, of posing a threat to democracy.
Earlier today, the assembly commenced impeachment proceedings against governor and his deputy over “gross misconduct”.
Speaking shortly after, Amaewhule condemned the governor for “deliberately refusing” to present the state budget as required by law.
“Nothing is holding the government from presenting the budget; he chose not to,” Amaewhule said.
“And the governor has been boasting that he will always go and meet the president, for the president to call us and give us instructions.
“He has been telling his followers that this assembly, we are nothing but a toothless bulldog, that this 10th House of Assembly cannot do anything and cannot enforce the constitution.”
The speaker described the situation as damaging to democratic governance in Rivers state.
“This is a sad commentary for our democracy. Sir Siminalayi Fubara and Professor Ngozi Odu, they are nothing but a threat to our democracy,” Amaewhule said.
“If they are allowed to remain in office, I don’t know what will become of our democracy.”
Amaewhule also accused the executive of travelling and spending public funds without authorisation from the legislature.
“And they are moving about from place to place, spending taxpayers’ money without approval,” the speaker said.
“Part of what led to the first impeachment effort and second impeachment effort has to do with refusal to present budgets.”
He said several interventions by President Bola Tinubu and Nyesom Wike, former Rivers governor, failed to resolve the impasse.
“Mr President has called several meetings, and our leader, His Excellency Chief Nyesom Wike, has called several meetings,” Amaewhule said.
“He (Fubara) said he will not present the budget, that he is above the constitution, and nothing will happen to him if he does not present it.”
The speaker said the Rivers governor allegedly abandoned the 2023 appropriation law and continued spending without legislative approval.
“Even when we had approval in 2023 for the governor to spend, the governor left the 2023 appropriation law and started awarding contracts to spend,” he said.
Amaewhule said that Rivers state had never experienced such a governance crisis.
“Rivers State has never had it this bad in the entire Nigeria. Siminalayi Fubara is a mistake; he is a mistake,” Amaewhule said.
According to him, no other state in Nigeria, and possibly across West Africa, has failed to present a budget for the coming fiscal year at this time.
“It is unbelievable that in the 21st century, a state like Rivers has neither presented nor passed an appropriation bill for 2026,” he said, adding that nothing constitutionally prevents the governor from presenting the budget.
The speaker further accused Fubara of openly boasting to his supporters that the house of assembly is powerless, allegedly referring to lawmakers as “toothless bulldogs” who cannot enforce the constitution
