Pro-Wike Lawmakers Allegedly Tried To Oust Rivers Chief Judge Over Fubara Impeachment – Jega

Political analyst Mahmud Jega has alleged that the Rivers State House of Assembly attempted to remove Chief Judge Samuel Amadi a few months ago in connection with the planned impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Speaking on Arise News, Jega suggested that the House failed to secure the Chief Judge’s cooperation in forming a panel that would automatically deliver a guilty verdict against Fubara and his deputy.

He explained that successful impeachment of governors and their deputies often depends on a certain level of partisanship from the Chief Judge of the state.

“You see, going back to the Second Republic, all impeachment matters of governors and deputy governors required cooperation from the state chief judges to succeed,” Jega said. “In 1981, during the Kaduna state assembly’s first attempt to impeach a governor, the courts held that they could not stop the assembly’s impeachment process because it falls under their constitutional powers, just like passing any law.

“But in Rivers State, the courts have actually stopped the process. That’s significant. A few months ago, I pointed out that the Wike camp has an overwhelming majority in the assembly, enough to impeach the governor—but they faced one obstacle: the Chief Judge.

“The Chief Judge appoints the panel, and historically, judges have collaborated to set up panels that return guilty verdicts. The Constitution also states that if the panel returns a not-guilty verdict, the impeachment ends there.

“I suspect the same pattern is playing out in Rivers. The pro-Wike members, aware of this, tried to remove Chief Judge Samuel Amadi months ago, claiming he falsified his age. It was clear to me that their motive was likely his refusal to cooperate in forming a panel that would automatically convict the governor.”