Fubara’s planned ouster heats up Nigeria’s oil city

The planned impeachment of Governor Sim Fubara is stoking tensions in Rivers, Nigeria’s oil-rich state.

The Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) members had on Monday tabled an impeachment notice to the embattled governor and his deputy, Ngozi Nma Ordu.

The letter, dated March 14, 2024, was tabled to Martin Amaewhule, the speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The letter signed by the lawmakers entitled, ‘Notice of Allegations of Gross Misconduct Brought Pursuant to Section 188 of the Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) 1999,’ accused the governor of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of the office of the governor.

A separate letter was tabled for the deputy governor.

The legislators accused the governor of spending public funds contrary to sections 120, 121 and 122 of the constitution.

The Amaewhule-led House of Assembly also accused the governor of hindering or obstructing the Rivers State House of Assembly, which is another arm of government protected by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) from performing her constitutional duties.

The Rivers State House of Assembly members further accused the governor of appointing “persons to occupy offices/positions in the Rivers State Government without allowing for the requirement of screening and confirmation as prescribed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), other extant laws but making the request for screening to persons other than the legitimate Rivers State House of Assembly.”

They also accused Fubara of failing to forward the name of a nominee for appointment as attorney-general and commissioner for justice “in line with Section 192(2) & (6) as well as Section 195(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended to the legitimate Rivers State House of Assembly as declared by the Judgement of the Federal High Court in FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023 but chose to announce one Mr. Dagogo Iboroma to assume the said position.”

They alleged that Governor Fubara illegally swore in “several other persons who were purportedly confirmed by certain individuals for appointment into the Rivers State Executive Council on Tuesday 21st May, 2024 namely- Prince Charles O. Beke; Collins Onunwo; Solomon Eke; Peter Medee; Elloka Tasie-Amadi; Basoene Joshua Benibo; Tambari Sydney Gbara and Ovy Orluideye Chinendum Chukwuma without screening and confirmation by the Rivers State House of Assembly in full compliance with Section 192(2) & (6) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.”

Will Gov Fubara be served?

The notices are to be served to the governor after the House debate and adoption.

It is not clear if the notice would be served successfully on the governor because of the break in communication between the executive and the legislative arms of government.

The date of the letters indicates that the decision had since been taken before now.

Should the governor and his deputy be successfully impeached, Amaewhule, the speaker, would by law be sworn in as next governor. That would complete the routing of the governor and return of power and structure to Nyesom Wike, FCT minister, who has since vowed to uproot Fubara.

Read also: Gov Fubara calls for rethink as impeachment letter from Wike-backed lawmakers hit Rivers Govt House

Tension heats up Rivers

The situation is currently heating up the oil-rich state, with many residents fearing that a crisis could erupt at any time.

Matthew Ahanna, a Port Harcourt resident, said: “We are being cautious and careful to avoid being victims. Parents are glued to their radios. Someone told me he will no longer send his wards to school when the crisis is over.”

Oil company workers and civil servants are also jittery and keeping an eye on the crisis.

An X user, @rilwan_ola01, who is also a politician, said: “Fubara cannot be impeached, as doing so would involve the Rivers State Chief Judge participating in an undemocratic process. Furthermore, it would indicate that President Tinubu has an agenda to remove a democratically elected governor. We are observing the situation closely.”

Sources told BusinessDay that various pro-Fubara groups could be readying their arsenals against pipelines and the state should the legislators succeed in impeaching Fubara.

The Supreme Council for Sim Worldwide had last week warned that any attempt to impeach the Rivers State governor could lead to widespread unrest.

“We all know the process of impeachment. Before it even starts, the state will boil because the governor is a man of the masses. The governor might not do anything, but the masses have something to do because they voted for the lawmakers, and they will have something to tell them,” leader of the group, Esezi Obilor Rukani, said.

“The governor may not fight them, but those who voted for them will. They didn’t send you there to foment trouble, and if you do, they will start recalling you.”

Asari Dokubo, ex-Niger Delta agitator, had earlier issued a strong warning to President Bola Tinubu and Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), including the 27 lawmakers in Rivers State, urging them to abandon any plans to impeach Governor Sim Fubara.

Dokubo cautioned that any move to impeach Fubara from office could destabilise the State and lead to political unrest.