Legislative lawyers operating under the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) have initiated steps to recall 26 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, including Speaker Martin Amaewhule, following the impeachment proceedings commenced against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Recall that the lawmakers on Thursday began impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara, accusing him of gross misconduct, including alleged financial misappropriation.
ALDRAP announced 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 requested certified true copies (CTCs) of the voters’ registers for all state constituencies in Rivers State, a requirement for initiating the recall process.
The legislative lawyers stated that many of their members are constituents of the affected lawmakers, giving the association the legal standing to begin recall actions against them.
ALDRAP also warned INEC that it would approach the courts to compel the release of the requested CTCs should the Commission fail to comply.
Excerpts from the letter dated January 8, 2026, and signed by ALDRAP Secretary, Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, SCN, described the action as a “notice of commencement of recall” of Speaker Martin Amaewhule and 25 other legislators who signed the impeachment notice against the governor.
The association noted that the impeachment move contradicts a February 2025 Supreme Court judgment, which urged members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to resolve disputes with the governor through peaceful and amicable means.
ALDRAP further pointed out that both Governor Fubara and the lawmakers involved are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), arguing that internal party dispute resolution mechanisms should have been explored before resorting to impeachment.
Reacting further, the association described the impeachment notice as “dead on arrival,” citing what it called fundamental legal flaws. According to ALDRAP, the letter addressed Governor Fubara as “madam,” a mistake it said renders the notice invalid.
The group also maintained that the people of Rivers State did not authorize or endorse the lawmakers’ decision to initiate impeachment proceedings against the governor.
