Benigno Fitial

Benigno Fitial
Fitial in 2009
7th Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
In office
January 9, 2006 – February 20, 2013
LieutenantTimothy Villagomez
Eloy Inos
Preceded byJuan Babauta
Succeeded byEloy Inos
Speaker of the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
In office
January 12, 2004 – January 9, 2006
Preceded byHeinz Hofschneider
Succeeded byOscar M. Babauta
In office
January 10, 2000 – January 14, 2002
Preceded byDiego T. Benavente
Succeeded byHeinz Hofschneider
In office
January 11, 1982 – January 9, 1984
Preceded byJoaquin Pangelinan
Succeeded byVicente Sablan
Personal details
Born
Benigno Repeki Fitial

(1945-11-27) November 27, 1945 (age 78)
Saipan, Mariana Islands, South Pacific Mandate
Political partyRepublican (before 2001, 2011–present)
Covenant (2001–2011)
SpouseJosie Padiermos
Children6
EducationUniversity of Guam (BBA)

Benigno Repeki Fitial (born November 27, 1945) is a Northern Marianan politician who served was the seventh governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. The second longest-serving governor in CNMI history, Fitial was elected on November 6, 2005, assumed office on January 9, 2006, and was re-elected to a (five-year) second term in 2009. He was impeached by the CNMI House of Representatives on February 11, 2013, and was scheduled to face trial before the CNMI Senate to determine if he should be removed from office.[1] He resigned on February 20, 2013, after 7 years, 1 month, and 11 days in office.

Fitial founded the Covenant Party in 2001 after leaving the Republican Party.[2] He rejoined the Republican Party on January 5, 2011, announcing that his goal would be to merge the Covenant Party back into the Republican Party.[2]

Fitial was the first governor in any US territory or commonwealth to be impeached and only the 13th governor in the history of the United States. On February 11 & 12, 2013 the CNMI House of Representatives voted to impeach Fitial on 18 different charges contained in Articles of Impeachment.[3] The charges include neglect of duties, commission of felonies and abuse of power.

Rather than facing an impeachment trial before the CNMI Senate which was set for March 7, 2013, Benigno Repeki Fitial became the first governor in CNMI history to resign from office on February 20, 2013.[4] In his resignation letter he cited "personal health" reasons and the "best interests of the Commonwealth".

  1. ^ "Marianas Variety - IMPEACHED!". Archived from the original on 2013-02-14.
  2. ^ a b Eugenio, Haidee V. (2011-01-08). "Fitial now back to Republican Party, Governor's end goal to merge Covenant with GOP". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on 2012-03-23. Retrieved 2011-01-08.
  3. ^ "House resolution" (PDF). cnmileg.gov.mp. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Marianas Variety - New governor, lt. governor". Archived from the original on 2013-02-22.