Siminalayi Fubara

By Daniel Abia, Port Harcourt

Amid rising political tension in Rivers State, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and its youth wing, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), have called on the Rivers State House of Assembly to halt ongoing impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Speaking on Thursday, INC President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, described the impeachment attempt as “not a matter of the Ijaw nation but of democracy,” urging all defenders of democratic principles to resist what he termed an unfortunate development.

He noted that the crisis had previously been resolved following a six-month suspension of the governor and his deputy, and expressed concern over its resurfacing.

IYC President, Dr. Alaye Theophilus, urged the Assembly to focus on areas where the governor allegedly spent funds without budgetary approval rather than pursuing impeachment. He stressed that Fubara should be allowed to complete his tenure peacefully, noting that prolonged political attacks ultimately harm the people of Rivers State.

“The governor has not done anything wrong,” Theophilus said. “He has initiated development projects across the state. This is a time for governance, not war.” He also accused lawmakers of disloyalty to President Bola Tinubu, urging them to respect the office and report any alleged misconduct directly to him.

APC

Factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State also rejected the impeachment attempt. In a statement signed by Darlington Nwauju, a spokesperson for Chief Emeka Beke’s faction, the party reaffirmed the independence of the legislature but described the impeachment process as untenable.

The statement highlighted that the federal budget approved in 2025 provides a legal framework allowing state governors to spend funds within a six-month window at the start of a fiscal year. It warned APC members of the Assembly against being influenced to destabilize the Rivers State government.

PDP

Similarly, former PDP spokesperson in the state, Hon. Sydney Tambari, appealed to lawmakers to “sheathe their sword,” noting that Fubara had made significant concessions to maintain peace in the state and describing the impeachment effort as an unfortunate development at the start of the year.

The impeachment notices, read on Thursday by the Leader and Deputy Leader of the House, Hon. Major Jack and Hon. Linda Stewart, cited allegations including non-presentation of the 2025 budget, unauthorized spending, withholding salaries of Assembly staff, failure to properly screen appointments, and the demolition of the Assembly complex.

26 lawmakers

The 26 lawmakers who backed the notices argued that the governor and deputy lacked the capacity to perform their constitutional duties. In response, Speaker Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule promised to deliver the impeachment notices to Governor Fubara and his deputy within seven days, while the Assembly simultaneously adopted a motion to withhold actions on the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and 2026 Appropriation Bill pending investigation of the allegations.

The impeachment attempt comes amid ongoing political realignments in the state. In December 2025, 17 lawmakers defected from the PDP to the APC, followed by Governor Fubara’s own defection, which heightened tensions between APC and PDP factions in Rivers.

This marks the third attempt by the Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara, following previous efforts in 2023 and 2025. Observers are watching closely to see whether the 2026 attempt will proceed.