…APC leadership disclosed that behind-the-scenes engagements were already underway to defuse the standoff.
RIVERS, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | Senior leaders and governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have stepped in to calm rising political tensions in Rivers State following the issuance of a seven-day impeachment notice by the Rivers State House of Assembly to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu.
Investigations by iNews Times late Thursday revealed that powerful figures within the ruling party had begun discreet consultations aimed at finding a political and negotiated resolution to the crisis, amid fears that the situation could degenerate into violence and further destabilise governance in the oil-rich state.
A highly placed source within the APC leadership disclosed that behind-the-scenes engagements were already underway to defuse the standoff.
“There are underground efforts to douse the tension and resolve the matter politically. A political solution is being pursued, and both the governor and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory are already being reached out to,” the source said.
Further findings showed that political heavyweights, party leaders, and senior federal officials close to both camps had become increasingly concerned about the implications of another major political breakdown in Rivers State, especially given the state’s recent history of unrest.
Another senior politician familiar with the situation confirmed that the Presidency had been fully briefed on the developments and that President Bola Tinubu was expected to intervene directly if necessary.
“The Presidency is being kept abreast of what is happening. The President will intervene at the appropriate time. However, even before that, key members of the government and influential politicians are already engaging both sides to prevent escalation,” the source told iNews Times.
The intervention efforts followed the escalation of the political crisis on Thursday, when the Rivers State House of Assembly formally commenced fresh impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy, issuing them a seven-day ultimatum to respond to allegations of gross misconduct.
At a plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, the House announced that the impeachment move was triggered by the governor’s alleged refusal to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill for legislative consideration, which lawmakers said amounted to a violation of the constitution.
The 27 lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, accused Fubara and Odu of deliberately frustrating the Assembly’s constitutional responsibilities and undermining democratic governance in the state.
The impeachment process was initiated following a motion moved by the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol, and seconded by Silvernus Nwankwo, after which the House resolved to proceed in line with Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Earlier during the plenary, the Majority Leader, Major Jack, formally read the notice of allegations of gross misconduct against the governor.
Relying on constitutional provisions, Jack outlined seven allegations against Fubara, including the demolition of the Assembly complex, alleged extra-budgetary spending, withholding of funds meant for the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission, refusal to comply with Supreme Court judgments on legislative financial autonomy, and the alleged seizure of salaries and allowances belonging to lawmakers and the Assembly Service Commission.
Jack further alleged that the governor had consistently acted outside the appropriation law, thereby weakening the authority of the legislature and undermining checks and balances.
Following the presentation of the notice against the governor, the Deputy Leader of the House, Linda Stewart, also laid before the Speaker a separate notice of gross misconduct against Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu.
The allegations against Odu include reckless and unconstitutional spending of public funds, obstructing the House from performing its constitutional duties as outlined in the 1999 Constitution, and allegedly conniving to allow unauthorised persons to occupy government offices without proper legislative screening.
Other accusations include approaching an unauthorised group for budgetary approval instead of the legitimate Rivers State House of Assembly, as well as the alleged seizure of salaries and allowances due to the Assembly and the Assembly Service Commission.
Addressing the House, Speaker Amaewhule said the alleged acts of misconduct were largely centred on budget presentation and spending outside the state’s appropriation law.
“It is important to note that these allegations relate mainly to the presentation of the budget and spending outside the appropriation law,” he said.
He added that the House was not convened to debate the notice but to formally activate the constitutional impeachment process.
“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 do so, he would have done that long ago,” Amaewhule said.
The Speaker claimed that Rivers State was the only sub-national government in Nigeria yet to present a 2026 appropriation bill.
“In the entire country, Rivers State is the only one that has not presented an appropriation bill for 2026. I doubt if anywhere in Africa a government operates this way in the 21st century,” he stated.
Amaewhule further alleged that even after the Assembly approved spending in 2023, the governor abandoned the approved budget and proceeded to award contracts outside the appropriation law, a development he said had worsened infrastructure decay and unemployment.
“Our schools are not functioning properly, roads are bad, hospitals are not fully operational, and our youths are unemployed,” he alleged.
Describing the governor as a threat to democracy, the Speaker declared that the House had reached its limit.
“Enough is enough. Let the law take its course,” Amaewhule said, adding that President Tinubu had repeatedly intervened to persuade the governor to change course.
“Mr President has done his best. He gave the governor a second chance and even another one, but the governor refused to change,” he claimed.
The Speaker announced that the House would suspend consideration of the 2026 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Appropriation Bill pending the conclusion of the impeachment investigation.
He said 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 subsequently adjourned plenary until January 15.
Governor Fubara had yet to issue an official response as of the time of filing this report. However, a senior government official said the administration would only react after receiving formal notice from the Assembly.
“There are laid-down procedures. Any response now would suggest the government has received a notice, which it has not. Our focus remains peace and stability in Rivers State,” the source said.
Meanwhile, a faction of the APC in Rivers State aligned with former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi rejected the impeachment process, describing it as unfortunate and politically motivated.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, the party warned against importing unresolved PDP disputes into the APC and noted that budgetary issues had already been addressed during the emergency rule period, when President Tinubu transmitted a N1.485tn budget to the National Assembly.
The party stressed that the constitution allows a six-month spending window into a new fiscal year and urged APC lawmakers in the Assembly to resist external pressure and discontinue the impeachment process.
Youth groups, women organisations, and civil society groups raised concerns that the impeachment move could plunge Rivers State into another round of political and security crisis.
The Ijaw Youths Council Worldwide said the development could destabilise the state, while the South-South Youths Initiative called on President Tinubu to rein in political actors contributing to the crisis.
Women groups under the banner of Rivers Women Unite for Sim dismissed the allegations as unfounded, particularly claims linking the governor to the demolition of the Assembly complex.
The Civil Liberties Organisation cautioned that impeachment should not be weaponised for political retaliation, stressing the need for strict adherence to due process and dialogue.
Rivers State has been engulfed in a prolonged political crisis stemming from a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who governed the state for eight years and retains significant political influence.
Fubara, who was elected in 2023 with Wike’s backing, later sought to assert political independence, leading to accusations by Wike’s allies that he abandoned a political agreement brokered by President Tinubu.
What began as an internal ruling-party dispute has since escalated into a broader institutional crisis involving the executive, legislature, judiciary, and federal authorities.
Fubara’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC on December 9 marked a major political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections and positioned him as the APC’s dominant political figure in Rivers State.
