In Ekiti, Fayose went to the HoA, sat In the Speaker’s seat, and passed the Budget for himself - Kabir Akingbolu

Constitutional attorney Kabir Akingbolu recently spoke with TVC News and discussed Nigeria’s impeachment culture in relation to the Rivers State issue, along with earlier instances of legislative authority being abused. He claimed that excessive executive power and weak institutional checks frequently cloud constitutional boundaries, enabling governors to control state assemblies and erode democratic accountability, a trend that continues to jeopardize subnational stability.

To demonstrate how executive overreach has previously twisted constitutional procedure, he said, “Fayose went to the Ekiti House of Assembly, sat in the Speaker’s chair, and passed the budget for himself. “ He argued that this behavior undermines the constitutional principle of separation of powers and turns legislatures into an extension of the governor’s office.

According to Akingbolu, the impeachment provisions of Section 188 of the Constitution are meant to safeguard democracy, not to arm political disputes. He pointed out that the lack of a clear definition of gross misconduct gives legislators too much discretion, which might be used when assemblies are motivated by partisan allegiance rather than public interest or when they are not independent.

Additionally, he cautioned against instances where courts are asked to stop impeachment processes, emphasizing that the judicial branch must adhere to constitutional limits. In his opinion, judicial intervention should be restricted to examining procedural compliance once legislators adhere to due procedure, rather than replacing political judgment with judicial directives.

Akingbolu warned that normalizing legislative capture undermines public confidence and accountability and that Nigeria's democratic development depends on restoring strong legislatures that can withstand executive authority. He said that political leaders must abide by constitutional restrictions, respect judicial authority, and settle disagreements through dialogue, adding that sustainable governance can only arise when institutions, rather than individuals, define the exercise of power within Nigeria's states and throughout the federation in order to firmly safeguard democracy and constitutional order nationwide today firmly.