Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, has declared that it was better for the State lawmakers to all resign their positions rather than remain in office as toothless bulldogs while the constitution was being breached.

Amaewhule spoke at the House plenary on Thursday on the backdrop of the ongoing political crisis in the state, saying the unfolding scenario was not a personal feud between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, but “between the governor and the constitution.”

He added: “The governor is a threat to our democracy. It is better we all resign and leave the governor and those he wants to defraud the people. We cannot continue to allow this to happen.”

Today during her plenary session, the Rivers State House of Assembly marks a significant escalation in the state's long-running political crisis.

The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, delivered a scathing assessment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara during the commencement of impeachment proceedings.
Below is a word-for-word analysis of the key statements that are currently making the rounds.

1. Siminalayi Fubara is a mistake; Rivers State has never had it this bad:
Context: Martins Amaewhule uses this to frame Fubara's entire tenure as a systemic error rather than a series of policy disagreements.
My Take: By calling the Governor a "mistake," the Speaker is signaling that the legislative arm no longer recognizes the Governor's political legitimacy. The phrase "never had it this bad" is a hyperbolic appeal to public sentiment, designed to justify the "extreme" measure of impeachment as a necessary corrective action for the state's survival.

2. Sir Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy are nothing but a threat to democracy.
Context: The Speaker links the Governor and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu together as a collective "threat."4

My Take: This is a tactical legal framing. Under Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution, impeachment requires proof of "gross misconduct." By labeling them a "threat to democracy," the Speaker is elevating administrative lapses (like budget delays) to the level of constitutional subversion, which is easier to defend as a "gross misconduct" charge.

3. He has been saying to his followers that this 10th Rivers Assembly is nothing but a toothless bulldog:
Context: Amaewhule is responding to alleged private remarks made by Fubara regarding the legislature’s power.

My Take: This highlights the ego war driving the crisis. The Speaker is using the Governor’s own purported rhetoric—"toothless bulldog"—to goad the other 26 lawmakers into action. It frames the impeachment as a matter of legislative honour and institutional relevance, rather than just a political hit.

4. This is a sad commentary for our democracy:
Context: Used when referring to the fact that Rivers is the only state in Nigeria that has allegedly not presented or passed its 2026 Appropriation Bill.

My Take: This is the "hook" for the legal argument. In Nigeria, failing to present a budget is a serious fiscal breach. By calling it a "sad commentary," Amaewhule is attempting to occupy the moral high ground, suggesting that the Assembly is acting out of a sense of duty to democratic norms rather than personal vendetta.

The 7 Allegations Breakdown
While the Speaker provided the "rhetoric," the Majority Leader, Hon. Major Jack, read the specific charges, the "word-for-word" allegations in the notice include:
1. Constitutional Breach: Refusal to present the 2026 Budget (Appropriation Bill).
2. Fiscal Misconduct: Spending state funds without legislative approval.
3. Contempt of Judiciary: Refusal to comply with Supreme Court rulings on financial autonomy.
4. Property Destruction: The 2023 demolition of the Assembly complex.
5. Withholding Funds: Allegedly seizing salaries and allowances of the legislature.
6. Obstruction: Hindering the Assembly Service Commission.
7. Executive Interference: Allegedly converting state funds to dollars to influence federal officials.

IN SUMMARY
The timing of impeachment saga is crucial. Following Governor Fubara’s December 2025 defection to the APC, many expected the tension to cool. Instead, the video shows that the pro-Wike faction (who also identify as APC) is using Fubara’s own new party platform against him.

The Speaker's language is notably de-personalized at times—insisting the fight is between "the Governor and the Constitution," not Wike and Fubara. This is a deliberate attempt to neutralize the "godfatherism" narrative that has previously gained Fubara public sympathy.

I REST MY CASE