Rivers impeachment crisis deepens as legislative lawyers move to recall Speaker, 25 lawmakers

The political crisis rocking Rivers State took a new turn on Friday as legislative lawyers, under the umbrella of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP), commenced moves to recall 26 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, including the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule.

The recall move follows the impeachment proceedings initiated by the lawmakers against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, whom they accused of gross misconduct, including alleged financial misappropriation.

The Rivers State House of Assembly had on Thursday formally commenced the impeachment process against the governor, a development that has further heightened political tension in the state.

ALDRAP disclosed the commencement of the recall process in a formal letter addressed to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In the letter, the association demanded the release of certified true copies (CTCs) of the voters’ register for all state constituencies in Rivers State, a key requirement for initiating the constitutional recall process.

The letter, dated January 8, 2026, and signed by the Secretary of the association, Dr Tonye Clinton Jaja, SCN, was obtained by DAILY POST on Friday.

According to ALDRAP, several of its members are constituents of the affected lawmakers, giving the association the legal standing to initiate recall proceedings against them.

The association further placed INEC on notice, warning that it would approach the courts to compel the release of the CTCs should the electoral body fail to make them available.

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Parts of the letter read: “Notice of commencement of recall of Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and 25 other legislators of the House of Assembly who signed the impeachment notice dated 8th January 2026 and request for certified true copies (CTCs) of the voter register of all the state constituencies of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“Contrary to the judgment of February 2025 of the Supreme Court of Nigeria that enjoined the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to work in peaceful harmony with the Governor of Rivers State by exploring and exhausting amicable methods to resolve conflicts, the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have once again initiated belligerent methods.”

ALDRAP noted the irony that both Governor Fubara and the lawmakers are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that internal party dispute resolution mechanisms ought to have been explored before resorting to impeachment.

“Ironically, both the Governor of Rivers State and the said members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and ought to have explored and exhausted internal dispute resolution mechanisms,” the letter added.

The association said it was acting as a public interest organisation, pointing out that a majority of its members are constituents across the state constituencies in Rivers.

“In light of the foregoing, as a public interest organisation of lawyers, the majority of whom are constituents of all state constituencies of the Rivers State House of Assembly, we hereby demand the aforementioned certified true copies (CTC) and put your Commission on notice,” ALDRAP stated.

Reacting further, the legislative lawyers dismissed the impeachment notice against Governor Fubara as “dead on arrival,” citing what they described as fundamental legal flaws.

According to ALDRAP, the lawmakers’ letter was defective for addressing the governor as “madam,” which it described as a fatal error, and for lacking the consent and authorization of the constituents.

“The letter of notice of impeachment against Governor Fubara is dead on arrival for two legal reasons: (1) the fundamental flaw of addressing Governor Fubara as ‘madam,’ and (2) the constituents of Rivers State did not endorse or authorize the lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly to commence impeachment against Governor Fubara,” the association declared.

The latest development adds another layer to the escalating political standoff in Rivers State, with both impeachment and recall processes now unfolding simultaneously, setting the stage for a prolonged legal and political battle.