Top members and some governors of the All Progressives Congress have moved to douse tensions in Rivers State following the seven-day impeachment notice issued by the Rivers State House of Assembly to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu.
The PUNCH learnt late on Thursday that some APC bigwigs have begun moves to find a “political solution” to the unfolding crisis.
“There are underground moves already aimed at dousing the tension and resolving the matter. A political solution is being sought. Both the governor and the FCT minister are already being reached out to,” a top source close to the APC leadership told one of our correspondents.
Findings by the newspaper showed that, to avoid another round of violent crisis in the state, political gladiators and some top officials of the Federal Government close to the two parties had begun moves towards resolving the matter.
“The Presidency is being briefed about the developments. The President will intervene. However, key members of the government, as well as some top politicians, are already reaching out to both men,” a top politician familiar with the development told The PUNCH.
The political crisis in Rivers State escalated on Thursday as the Rivers State House of Assembly commenced fresh impeachment proceedings against Fubara and Odu, issuing them a seven-day notice to respond to allegations of gross misconduct.
At plenary presided over by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, the House said the action was prompted by the governor’s alleged refusal to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill for legislative consideration.
The 27 lawmakers aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, accused the governor and his deputy of deliberately frustrating the Assembly’s constitutional responsibilities, describing the alleged infractions as impeachable offences.
The impeachment process was initiated following a motion moved by the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol, and seconded by Silvernus Nwankwo.
Allegations
Earlier, the Majority Leader, Major Jack, formally read a notice of allegations of gross misconduct against the governor, relying on Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Jack listed seven allegations against Fubara, including the demolition of the Assembly complex, alleged extra-budgetary spending, withholding of funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission, and refusal to comply with Supreme Court rulings on the financial autonomy of the legislature, seizing salaries and allowances of the state lawmakers and the Assembly Service Commission, among others.
Following the presentation of the notice against the governor, the Deputy Leader, Linda Stewart, also submitted a notice of gross misconduct against the deputy governor.
The allegations against the deputy governor include reckless and unconstitutional spending of public funds; obstructing the House from performing its constitutional duties; conniving to allow unauthorised persons to occupy government offices without legislative screening; seeking budgetary approval from an unauthorised group instead of the legitimate House of Assembly; and seizure of salaries and allowances meant for the Assembly and the Assembly Service Commission.
Speaker faults governor
Amaewhule said the alleged misconducts were largely centred on the presentation of the budget and spending outside the state’s appropriation law.
“It is important to note that the particulars of these allegations relate mainly to the presentation of the budget and spending outside the appropriation law,” the Speaker said.
“But we are not here to debate the notice. The notice has been served, and the impeachment process has commenced.
“In any case, the governor does not even want to present any budget. If he wanted to, he would have done so long ago. Siminalayi Fubara is a mistake. Rivers State has never had it this bad.”
Amaewhule claimed that Rivers State was the only sub-national government in Nigeria yet to present a 2026 appropriation bill.
“In the entire Nigeria, Siminalayi Fubara and Prof. Ngozi Odu are the only people at the sub-national level who have not presented an appropriation bill for 2026,” he said.
“I doubt if anywhere in Africa you will find a government that has not presented an appropriation bill in this 21st century.”
The Speaker further alleged that even when the Assembly approved spending in 2023, the governor abandoned the approved budget and awarded contracts outside the appropriation law.
“He approved spending in 2023, but he abandoned the budget and started awarding contracts outside the law. Our schools are not functioning properly, roads are bad, hospitals are not fully operational, and our youths are unemployed,” Amaewhule alleged.
“So, in other words, what the governor is doing with our funds, funds of Rivers people, the poor Rivers men and women who have paid taxes, is to change our money to dollars and give to Rivers people to stop us from surviving the constitution.
“For how long are we going to allow this to happen? Our schools are not functioning. Our schools are not functioning the way they should. The Rivers people are suffering. Our youth are not being employed. Our roads are bad.
“Our hospitals, health centres are not fully functional. A lot of them are having issues. Rather than follow through the process, what the governor has decided to do is to save money, change it to dollars to subvert the will of the Rivers people, to subvert the constitution.”
‘Threat to democracy’
Describing the governor as a threat to democracy, Amaewhule declared that “enough is enough,” insisting that the law must take its course.
He claimed President Bola Tinubu had intervened severally to persuade the governor to change course.
“Mr President has done his best. He gave the governor a second chance, and another one, but the governor refused to change,” he said.
“Let the law take its course. The law has to take its course. We thank Mr President. He is a father. Mr President has done his best. Mr President has spoken to the governor. In my presence, Mr President told the governor, ‘I’m giving you a second chance.’ The governor refused.
“He gave him another one, but the governor refused. How many times? Distinguished colleagues, I thank you for your contributions. Prayers have been properly conveyed by members.
“Distinguished colleagues, by this motion, this house thereby condemns the refusal of the governor of Rivers state to present the 026 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Appropriation Bill 2026 in line with the Rivers State laws and the constitution, respectively, as well as reckless spending from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State.
“On this, the house is declaring that the house will not proceed with any action for presentation of the 026 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Appropriation Bill 2026 until the investigation of gross misconduct levelled against the governor has been completed,” Amaewhule declared.
He said a formal communication will be made to the governor so he can respond to the allegations within seven days.
“I am in receipt of the letter, and in pursuance of the 1999 constitution, I will ensure that the letter is forwarded to the governor within seven days,” he noted.
The Speaker added that the House would suspend consideration of the 2026 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Appropriation Bill until the impeachment investigation is concluded.
He announced that a formal communication would be forwarded to the governor, giving him seven days to respond to the allegations, in line with constitutional provisions.
The House thereafter adjourned proceedings until January 15.
State Government urges calm
Governor Fubara had yet to respond to the development. Still, a senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the government would only react after receiving a formal notice from the Assembly.
“There are procedures for these things. Any response now would imply that the government has received a notice, which it has not,” the source said.
“Let them have their field day. The world is watching. Our priority is peace and stability in Rivers State.”
APC rejects impeachment
The All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, aligned with former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, rejected the impeachment process.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, the party described the development as unfortunate, warning against importing internal PDP disputes into the APC.
The APC noted that during the emergency rule in the state, President Tinubu transmitted a budget to the National Assembly, which was approved in June and July 2025.
“That budget, totalling N1.485tn, is expected to run until August 2026. The constitution also allows a six-month spending window into a new fiscal year,” the party stated.
“Our position as of today on this matter is that we solemnly reject the resort to an impeachment process against our governor and his deputy.
“It will be totally untenable for our party to keep quiet when an obvious hangover from strife that occurred within the PDP is allowed to resurface in our great party.
“It is important to say to Rivers people and Nigerians that since the latest threat of impeachment centers on the budget, may we remind ourselves that under the period of emergency rule, a budget was transmitted to the National Assembly by the President and Commander-in-Chief in May 2025 which was approved by the Senate on 25 June 2025 and subsequently by the House of Representatives on July 22 2025 for a total sum of N1.485tn.
“Interestingly, this budget is for one year and should run up till August 2026 and if the governor is comfortable with the composition of the said budget, he may elect not to present any supplementary budget. Besides, the constitution allows for a six-month spending window into the new fiscal year by a state governor,” the party stated.
The APC urged its members in the Assembly to resist external pressures and discontinue the impeachment process.
Youth groups, women raise alarm
The Ijaw Youths Council Worldwide said the action could plunge the state into another crisis, expressing concern over safety and stability.
“This is unacceptable. I thought the earlier crisis had been resolved,” said IYC President Jonathan Lokpobiri.
He said, “This is going to unsettle that state. I must say it’s unacceptable that these issues we thought were resolved at the altar of the President, how come everybody is turning a blind eye to another round of chaos? That will be very unfortunate.
“As much as I know, such cannot happen, I’m, however, worried about the issues of stability and safety in that state in all honesty.”
While noting that the governor would have also learnt to work with the House of Assembly, he also queried why the lawmakers wouldn’t allow Fubara to complete his tenure in peace.
“The complaints when, as much as nobody has access to the governor so I cannot ascertain the veracity of some of the claims, especially when the assembly cried out that the governor did not involve them in either the issue of the budget or other issues.
“It’s something I am going to be quite frank, I’m worried because the last chaos that God averted through the interventions, I thought that everybody would have learnt from that experience and allow peace to reign in Rivers state. But from the way it’s going, I wonder how this is going to end in all honesty.’’
Similarly, the South-South Youths Initiative condemned the impeachment move, calling on President Tinubu to rein in Wike and warning of possible security implications.
The group, in a statement in Port Harcourt by its National President, Imeabe Oscar, expressed annoyance that while other states are experiencing governance, Rivers is still playing politics despite coming out of a six-month near collapse of governance.
“Rivers youths are appalled that this is coming at a point when we are all expecting that the legislature would work closely with the governor to give Rivers State the desired governance that has been lacking since the return from Emergency Rule.
“We also want to call on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to understand that he is not contesting for governorship or any political position, and we equally want Rivers people to join us in asking Wike about the election he is contesting in 2027 that should warrant heating of the polity. Nyesom Wike should allow Governor Siminialayi Fubara to concentrate and govern the state.’’
Women groups under the banner of Rivers Women Unite for Sim also described the lawmakers’ actions as “laughable” and “unfounded,” insisting there was no evidence linking the governor to the demolition of the Assembly complex.
CLO warns against abuse
The Civil Liberties Organisation cautioned that impeachment must not be used as a political weapon.
In a statement signed by Sunny Dada, Chairman, and Dr Christian Onyegbule, Secretary-General of its Rivers State chapter, the group said impeachment is a grave constitutional mechanism meant for accountability, not political retaliation.
While acknowledging that it had previously urged the governor to present the budget, the CLO warned that any impeachment process must strictly follow due process, guarantee a fair hearing, and consider the broader political context in the state.
“Rivers State must not be sacrificed on the altar of political power struggles,” the group warned, urging dialogue and restraint by all parties.
NADECO-USA calls for Wike’s sacking
Meanwhile, the National Democratic Coalition-USA urged President Tinubu to sack the FCT minister to restore peace in Rivers State.
Speaking in Port Harcourt, NADECO-USA President, Dr Lloyd Ukwu, blamed Wike for the crisis and warned that failure to act would hold the President responsible.
Ukwu also called for emergency rule in terrorism-affected northern states ahead of the 2027 elections, warning that insecurity could undermine democratic processes.
“Nigeria cannot conduct credible elections when terrorists occupy parts of the country,” he said.
He adds, “So my advice to him (Wike) is just to back down, back off from what is happening because Rivers’ people know that he is the problem.
“It’s very glaring. Some of the statements he made or continues to make are directed at the president. So, the man (Tinubu) has to call him to order. Wike is his employee.’’
A member of the Rivers State Elders Council and former deputy national chairman, South of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Chief Asukewe Ikoawaju, said, ‘’How can a ruling party sit down and its members in the House of Assembly are commencing impeachment against their own governor and up till now the national secretariat of the APC has not issued a statement.
‘’So, it is the fault of the party, but it is unfortunate that innocent Rivers people who voted are the ones who are at the receiving end. But underline it in 2027, Rivers State will not support a kindergarten governor.”
Oil-rich Rivers State is facing a deep political crisis driven by a power struggle between Wike and Fubara. The conflict has disrupted governance, divided the state legislature, and triggered repeated impeachment threats against the governor, who was elected in 2023 with the backing of Wike, who governed Rivers State for eight years and retains significant political influence.
Shortly after taking office, Fubara sought to assert independence, while Wike’s allies accused him of abandoning a political agreement.
What began as an internal ruling-party dispute escalated into a wider institutional crisis involving the executive, legislature, courts, and federal authorities.
More recently, Wike has sharpened his attacks on Fubara, accusing him of failing to uphold the agreement brokered by President Bola Tinubu. He also vowed never to support his re-election bid, describing him as an ‘’ungrateful child.’’
Fubara left the Peoples Democratic Party and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress on December 9, a move widely seen as a major political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The defection came shortly after several key members of the Rivers State House of Assembly also defected to the APC.
Fubara’s switch effectively ended his long-standing ties with the PDP and positioned him as the APC’s leading figure in Rivers State.
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