CSO Backs Impeachment Bid Against Fubara Over Alleged Budget Snub, Legislative Disregard
A civil society organisation, the National Vanguard for Democratic Coalition (NVDC), has thrown its weight behind the renewed impeachment move against Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, accusing him of persistent disregard for constitutional provisions and the authority of the State House of Assembly.
The group urged the Assembly to exhaust all constitutional options available to it, warning that abandoning the impeachment process would amount to a betrayal of democratic principles.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, the NVDC Coordinator, Mr. Felix White, said the latest impeachment move, reported to be the third since Governor Fubara assumed office in 2023 reflects growing concerns over the governor’s relationship with the legislature.
White accused the governor of allegedly fuelling the prolonged political crisis in the state through actions he said undermine the rule of law and the principle of separation of powers.
According to the organisation, residents of Rivers State are bearing the brunt of the political standoff, stressing that peace and stability can only be restored if the governor adheres strictly to constitutional procedures in his dealings with the House of Assembly.
The controversy, the group noted, centres on the alleged failure of Governor Fubara to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the Assembly, a development it described as unprecedented among serving governors in the country.
White said the alleged refusal to submit the budget and to recognise the Assembly as an independent arm of government could be interpreted as gross misconduct under Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides the legal framework for the impeachment of a sitting governor.
He further alleged that the governor has failed to meet certain statutory obligations owed to the legislature, describing the actions as a direct affront to democratic governance.
The NVDC called on the Rivers State House of Assembly not to retreat from the impeachment process if the governor fails to address the alleged infractions, insisting that accountability must be enforced to safeguard democracy in the state.
White added that the “honourable option” for Governor Fubara, should he remain unwilling to comply with constitutional provisions, would be to step aside in the interest of stability and effective governance in Rivers State.
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