The Rivers State House of Assembly has raised an alarm over what it described as covert attempts to unlawfully obtain court orders aimed at halting legislative activities.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Enemi George, chairman of the house committee on information, petitions and complaints, said intelligence reports available to the assembly indicate that “certain persons” are planning to secure injunctions from some high courts within Rivers state, but outside the Port Harcourt judicial division, to restrain the legislature from performing its constitutional duties.
According to the statement, those allegedly involved in the plot are well aware of constitutional provisions regulating legislative proceedings on impeachment and the jurisdiction of courts on such matters.
The assembly referenced section 272(3) of the constitution, which it said stipulates that “subject to the provisions of section 251 and other provisions of the constitution, the Federal High Court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine the question as to whether the term of office of a member of the house of assembly of a state, governor or deputy governor has ceased or become vacant”.
Lawmakers also cited section 188(10) of the constitution, which provides that “no proceedings or determination of the panel or of the House of Assembly or any matter relating to such proceedings or determination shall be entertained or questioned in any court”.
“These persons are also fully aware of judicial pronouncements on this matter, especially recently at the court of appeal on a matter involving similar ex parte order by a Rivers state high court contrary to section 272(3) of the constitution. A word is enough for the wise,” the statement read.
“Therefore, with the leave of the speaker of the Rivers state house of assembly, I call on those concerned to exercise restraint and refrain from acts inimical to the Constitution and the rule of law.”
George said the assembly expected affected officials who had already received notices of allegations of gross misconduct to respond appropriately, rather than pursue what he termed “subterranean moves” to undermine the process.
“All that is required is for the office holders who have already been duly served with the Notice of Allegations of Gross Misconduct to respond to them item by item rather than deploy subterranean moves to subvert the law or use proxies to malign members and the Rivers State House of Assembly in the media,” he said.
The statement reaffirmed the assembly’s commitment to constitutionalism and adherence to the rule of law.
The ongoing political crisis in Rivers state stems from a prolonged power struggle between Siminalayi Fubara, the governor, and Nyesom Wike, his predecessor and current minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The dispute, centred on control of the state’s political structure and key appointments, has repeatedly disrupted governance.
Impeachment threats from a Rivers house of assembly widely perceived to be loyal to Wike first surfaced in 2023 and re-emerged in 2025. This led President Bola Tinubu to declare a six-month state of emergency, during which both the executive and legislative arms were suspended.
Although the emergency rule ended in September 2025 with Fubara’s reinstatement, the collapse of the peace agreement has reignited impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy, with the house accusing them of gross misconduct.
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