The Rivers State House of Assembly has rejected a recent order of the state High Court seeking to halt the impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, insisting that the judiciary lacks the constitutional authority to intervene in the matter.
The Assembly’s stance followed an interim injunction granted on Friday by the High Court, which restrained the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, and the Clerk from forwarding any correspondence to the Chief Judge of the state in relation to the impeachment proceedings.
The court also barred the Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, from taking any steps connected with the process, pending the determination of the suit before it.
However, the Assembly remained defiant, describing the order as lacking constitutional backing. Speaking on the development, the spokesman of the House, Enemi George, said the legislature was not aware of any valid court directive stopping its actions.
George argued that the impeachment of a sitting governor is strictly guided by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and falls squarely within the exclusive preserve of the legislature.
According to him, Section 188(10) of the Constitution expressly bars the courts from entertaining or questioning any aspect of impeachment proceedings once they are conducted in line with constitutional requirements.
“The House is not aware of any court order,” he said. “But even at that, a clear reading of Section 188(10) of the Constitution shows that the court has no power to intervene in the impeachment process of a governor.”.
