Court Lacks Powers to Halt Impeachment — Rivers Assembly Insists

The Rivers State House of Assembly has dismissed an interim order of the State High Court restraining it from proceeding with the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy.

The court, on Friday, issued an injunction stopping the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and the Clerk of the House from forwarding any correspondence to the Chief Judge of the state in relation to the impeachment process.

It also restrained the Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, from taking any step towards constituting a panel to investigate the allegations against the governor and his deputy.

However, reacting to the development, the spokesperson of the Assembly, Enemi George, said the legislature was not aware of any such court order and maintained that the judiciary lacks the constitutional powers to intervene in the impeachment process.

George cited Section 188(10) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which, according to him, expressly bars courts from entertaining or questioning matters relating to the impeachment of a sitting governor.

“The House is not aware of any court order. But even at that, Section 188(10) of the Constitution is clear that the court has no power to intervene in the impeachment process,” he said.

Source: Daily Post