During an interview on Africa Independent Television (AIT) on Friday, Darlington Orji, Special Adviser on political affairs to Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has said the governor did not respond to notice of gross misconduct against him by the state assembly because he has not been served with the notice.
The assembly, on 8 January, began impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his Deputy, Ngọzi Odu, over alleged gross misconduct.
This is the third attempt by the lawmakers to impeach the Rivers governor since he was sworn into office in 2023.
Speaking during the programme, Orji said although Fubara heard of the impeachment move against him on the media and social media, he was yet to be served as of Friday.
“As I speak to you today, I can confirm that the Rivers State House of Assembly met on the 8 of January and up until this (Friday) morning, the Governor of Rivers, Siminalayi Fubara, has not received a copy of the impeachment notice or notice of gross misconduct,” he said.
The aide contended that the assembly had not complied with the processes of impeachment as provided by the relevant laws.
He further contended that various Nigerian courts, including the country’s Supreme Court had ruled that notice of impeachment and gross misconduct must be served “personally.”
“So, he (Fubara) has not been served. He would have responded because he has nothing to hide,” he stated, insisting that the governor did not violate any law to warrant impeachment.
The aide said governor Fubara travelled out of Nigeria when the Rivers assembly initiated the impeachment process.
Orji said he only saw a notice of the alleged gross misconduct against Mr Fubara on social media in which the governor was addressed as “madam” instead of “Sir”.
“We felt it was just a mere play because the governor, as far as I know, is a man. The governor will have no reason not to respond if he was properly addressed.
“But that’s not the only reason (for Fubara’s silence). They (lawmakers) have not served him,” he said.
He challenged the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, to show evidence that the lawmakers served the governor if they claimed to have done so.
In another development on Friday, the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt issued an interim injunction restraining the state assembly and the chief judge from proceeding with the impeachment move against the governor.
Orji expressed hope that, as lawmakers, the assembly members would not violate the court order.
“I don’t think they are going to flout it because they know the implications of flouting the order.
“But for me, I know that they’re honourable members and if truly they are honourable members, they will respect the opinion of the court,” the political aide said.
“They can approach the court and ask it to vacate the order.”