By ADEROGBA GEORGE

A civil society group, Vanguard for Democracy and Peace, has described the ongoing impeachment move against Rivers Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, as constitutional.

The group said the action by the Rivers State House of Assembly was a lawful response to alleged breaches of the 1999 Constitution.

Comrade Jackson Ibe, Coordinator of the group, stated this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja while reacting to the renewed impeachment proceedings initiated by the Assembly.

Ibe accused the governor of committing a fundamental constitutional violation by allegedly refusing to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the State House of Assembly.

He said such an action constituted gross misconduct and was sufficient ground for impeachment under the constitution.

According to him, the Rivers House of Assembly, led by Hon. Martin Amaewhule, had called the impeachment move a constitutional intervention aimed at restoring accountability, stability and public confidence in governance.

The group said any situation in which the executive arm of government failed to account to the people through their elected representatives amounted to a constitutional breach that must be addressed through lawful means, including impeachment.

It urged the Assembly not to relent in its resolve, stressing that in a democracy, the constitution must prevail over individual interests.

“Where there are no checks and balances, both the state and the country drift towards chaos,” Ibe warned.

The group recalled that Rivers lawmakers had earlier accused the governor of persistent budgetary violations, unauthorised withdrawals and obstruction of legislative oversight.

It noted that such practices undermined transparency, weakened fiscal discipline and eroded the Assembly’s constitutional role in safeguarding public funds.

The group also condemned alleged actions of the executive which, it claimed, included sidelining ministries and agencies, exerting pressure on procurement structures and penalising whistleblowers.

According to the group, such actions created a climate of fear that suppressed dissent, limited lawful access to public records and weakened procurement oversight mechanisms.

Calling for reason to prevail over sentiment, the group stressed that irrespective of personalities involved, any breach of the constitution by the executive must attract legislative intervention.

It added that the governor appeared more inclined towards confrontation rather than pursuing political dialogue to address the concerns of critical stakeholders.

The group urged the governor to embrace peace, warning that continued defiance could result in his removal from office by the lawmakers.

It also warned that any attempt to prevent the Rivers State House of Assembly from carrying out its constitutional duties would be strongly resisted by Nigerians.

The group said effective governance required each arm of government to operate strictly within the limits set by the constitution. (NAN)

•Gov. Fubara

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