As the crisis in Rivers State politics between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and former governor Nyesom Wike festers, there are strong indications that Wike’s stronghold on the state, and the impeachment moves against Fubara are beginning to crumble as the presidency designates the incumbent governor leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, just as the embattled minister contends with protesting workers in the FCT
By Edu Abade
The presidency may have signaled a near end to former Governor of Rivers State and incumbent Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike’s political influence and dominance in Rivers State, as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently pronounced Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state following his recent defection.
In what appeared like the Presidency’s formal affirmation of Fubara’s leadership of the APC in the state, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala stated that the FCT Minister held no leadership rank in the party’s hierarchy and therefore, he had no power to issue directives or instructions in the party, especially as the incumbent governor had become a member of the ruling party.
Bwala spoke on Thursday, January 22, 2026 in an interview, while addressing the prolonged friction between Wike and Fubara, pointing out that Wike, who remains a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), cannot legally or politically steer the affairs of the APC.
“I agree with the point highlighted by the National Chairman that in Rivers State, Governor Fubara is the leader of the APC. Wike is not a member of the APC. So, he cannot speak for the party. Wike has been adequately compensated for his contributions to the administration with his ministerial appointment,” he said.
He cautioned that such compensation does not grant him authority over party structures or the right to obstruct governance.
While declaring that Wike remains a significant figure in the PDP, Bwala maintained that the APC operates under a strict structure that recognizes sitting governors as state leaders, stressing that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu respects party procedures and the rule of law.
“The President believes in compensating people, but not at the expense of the interests of Nigeria. Once you cross the line, you will know,” he added, stressing that the party was against any attempt to prevent Fubara from providing responsible and accountable governance in Rivers State, especially in the face of subsisting court orders halting the impeachment process.
But reacting to Bwala’s comments (which the presidency has not refuted), Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Capital Market and other Institutions, Hon. Solomon Bob, debunked insinuations that Wike has been “adequately compensated,” and as such should stop interfering in Rivers State politics and governance since the state has a sitting governor.
Bob further stated that Bwala’s comments indicates that the presidential aide “clearly operates on the fringes,” giving the impression that he “sees public office as a gravy train ride” insisting that public office, is about service delivery and not adequate compensation.
“Next, he cheekily downplayed the minister’s generally acknowledged superlative performance in the FCT by putting it down merely to exit the TSA. Firstly, exiting the TSA itself was the minister’s ingenious idea. Secondly, the President’s acceptance underlines his confidence in the minister’s ability to deliver. That confidence is rooted in his strong record as Rivers governor, for which even President Buhari honoured him-and Buhari was never enamoured by Wike.
“But he wasn’t speaking for the President because the President knows who is responsible for the situation in Rivers. Bwala doesn’t really speak for the President, by the way. That’s not his remit and he is way down the pecking order of the presidential spokesmen.”
Bob further argued that Bwala’s comments were unbecoming of a presidential aide, describing them as “cheeky, unwarranted and stemming from premeditated bile,” adding, “You could see that he deliberately veered from the question to talk about the minister being adequately compensated. “Whatever that means, he doesn’t understand the minister’s contribution to this administration. Bwala betrayed his absolute lack of judgment by implying that the minister is preventing Fubara from governing Rivers. The manner of his comment is a classic implication framing from a confused individual who dabbles into everything and all things, including those beyond his competence and job description.” The lawmaker, who represents Abua/Odual and Ahoada East Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, maintained that Bwala “denigrates his office by infusing his public comments with his own sentiments and biases and passing them off as the President’s.”
However, a 24- member committee sent from the National Headquarters of the APC in Abuja to conduct the delegates’ congress for the upcoming Assembly by-election into Ahoada East 11 and Khana 11 constituencies, in Port Harcourt, again restated Fubara’s leadership of the party in the state. The party primary election, following the death of a member and resignation of another, was held on Monday, January 26, 2026.
Speaking at a media briefing Barrister Smart Ihenacho, insisted that Fubara remains the party leader in the state, adding, “We have got a new leader of our party, Governor Fubara and his leadership has brought unity and peace to the party in the state. Everywhere we went to conduct the delegates’ congress, the people were delighted over his calm leadership. And with this renewed unity, the people have queued behind the Renewed Hope Agenda and the re-election of President Tinubu in 2027.”
Also among the swelling rank of Fubara’s supporters is the Emeka Beke-led Rivers State faction of the APC, which backed President Bola Tinubu’s affirmation of the governor as the leader of the party in the state, describing it as “a vindication of its long-held position amid internal party tensions.”
In a statement issued on Friday, January 30, 2026 by the faction’s spokesman, Darlington Nwauju, the party said the affirmation, conveyed through Bwala, further reflected Tinubu’s commitment to the APC’s constitution and established party conventions.
The Rivers APC leadership commended President Tinubu for reaffirming the principle that APC governors should lead the party at the state level to ensure cohesion, effective mobilization and organizational efficiency, noting that the clarification aligned with the policy direction of the party’s national leadership.
While maintaining that the presidential affirmation should put paid to what it described as “false and misleading narratives” surrounding APC leadership in Rivers State, it criticized comments attributed to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, regarding the impeachment process involving Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.
A development that may have made the strong man of Rivers politics to eat the humble pie is the allegation by an elder statesman and former spokesperson for the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Anabs Sara-Igbe, that pecuniary interest remains the underlying motive behind the persistent efforts to remove Fubara from office.
Speaking in an interview with SYMFONI on Saturday, January 24, 2026, Sara-Igbe suggested that the impeachment plot has been fundamentally driven by financial disputes rather than administrative misconduct.
He alleged that the crisis intensified after the governor refused to yield to demands from members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for a payment of N1 billion each, further insisting that a lawmaker representing the Etche constituency explicitly disclosed that while the lawmakers had already received N350 billion, the governor’s refusal to pay the outstanding balance of N1 billion each has become the primary catalyst for the legislative assault.
He said, “New fact is that the purpose for impeachment is that Fubara refused to give them (assembly members) N1 billion each. The member representing Etche Constituency came out openly to say that they have received N350 billion and Fubara has refused to give them the balance of N1 billion each. That is the cross (or crux) of the matter.”
The impeachment moves against Governor Fubara have evolved into a complex legal and political saga that has paralyzed governance in the state.
The proceedings, led by a faction of the House of Assembly loyal to Wike, originally began in late 2023 following the bombing of the House of Assembly complex.
The lawmakers have leveled several charges against the governor, including allegations of gross misconduct, extra-budgetary spending, and the controversial presentation of the 2024 and 2025 budgets to a faction of loyalist legislators.
The crisis took a more formal turn in early 2026 when the assembly members, citing the governor’s continued disregard for their authority, renewed the impeachment notice.
This push persists despite various interventions from the presidency and judicial rulings that have halted the impeachment proceedings against the governor.
Besides, a statement issued by the Publicity Secretary of the APC, Darlington Nwauju, said, “We are grateful to the President and Commander-in-Chief President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, leader of the APC party in Nigeria for sticking to our party’s constitution and convention by reaffirming the position of the governor through his SA on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala.
“This Presidential clarification has once again vindicated our uncompromising stand on this matter and aligns with the policy thrust of our national party leadership under Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda and Dr. Ajibola Basiru.
“We, therefore, commend the sincerity of Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief to adhere to party management direction which allows APC Governors to lead the party at the state level to engineer mobilization, cohesion and efficiency.
“This timely reaffirmation justifies the position of Rivers State APC on the position of Governor Fubara as leader of our party in Rivers State and should correct any false or misleading narrative being peddled by political jobbers.
“And following from the above, we once more condemn in totality, Felix Morka’s position and opinion on the impeachment process against the Governor of Rivers State and his Deputy as his suggestion contradicts the core essence of party membership. We hope that Morka elects to display his democratic credentials by stepping down from his role as National Publicity Secretary of our great party for failing to protect organizational objectives as an image maker.
“We also remind the National Working Committee of our party of the subsisting court decisions over Rivers APC leadership (in Suit No. PHC/3592/CS/2023 & Suit No. PHC/3859/CS/2024) and request that congresses to elect new sets of leadership for the party at the Ward, LGA and State levels be scheduled immediately in order to harmonize all contending interests.
Finally, we request that the Governor and leader of our party to immediately convoke a stakeholders’ meeting to give our party a direction going forward,” the statement reads.
Another development that has humbled Wike in his effort to frustrate Fubara is what political analysts called “The Oyigbo Ambush And How Governor Fubara’s Legal Strike Stalled His Impeachment Moves.”
Attempts and plans to oust Fubara and Odu before the end of the first quarter of 2026 has been thrown into disarray after a surprise legal maneuver in Oyigbo halted the process. Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule and lawmakers loyal to Wike had expected to deliver a swift impeachment and installing Amaewhule as governor and reshuffling leadership within a few days, but a stealthy court action filed by the governor’s legal team on January 16, 2026, froze the machinery before it could materialize.
While the Assembly’s proceedings were broadcast live on national television and a resolution was passed directing Chief Judge Simeon Amadi to constitute a seven‑man probe panel, two separate suits (OYHC/6/CS/2026 and OYHC/7/CS/2026) were quietly lodged at the High Court in Oyigbo, a quieter venue outside Port Harcourt. Court records show the cases were filed at 11:06a.m., assigned by 12:06 p.m., and an interim order was granted by Justice F.A. Fiberesima by early afternoon-precisely as Speaker Amaewhule’s office prepared its formal request to the Chief Judge. Bailiffs served the restraining order on the Chief Judge just as the Speaker’s messengers arrived with the “Articles of Impeachment,” effectively blocking any administrative action.
The governor’s strategy hinged on naming the Chief Judge as the 32nd defendant which makes him a party to the litigation process and in a written response to the Speaker, the Chief Judge noted, “My hand is fettered… I am therefore, legally disabled at this point from exercising my duties.”
By making the CJ a party, any attempt to appoint a panel would have placed him in contempt of court, a risk underscored by the 2007 Kwara State precedent where a chief judge was sanctioned for ignoring similar orders.
The resulting legal tango has frozen the constitutional timeline. Section 188(5) of the 1999 Constitution requires the CJ to act within seven days of the Speaker’s request, but the interim injunction has rendered that window moot. The Chief Judge, invoking the doctrine of lis pendens, has declared the matter sub‑judice, meaning the legislative clock remains suspended while the case proceeds. Moreover, the governor secured an order for substituted service, allowing bailiffs to post the injunction on the Assembly’s gate, making any further steps by lawmakers legally perilous.
Speaker Amaewhule’s miscalculation lay in treating the impeachment as a purely political exercise rather than a litigation battle. By shifting the fight to the Court of Appeal, he may have inadvertently bought Governor Fubara months of breathing room, as appellate processes in Nigeria rarely move with the speed needed for a “lightning” impeachment.
For now, the theatre of war has moved from the Governor’s Office and the Assembly chamber to the appellate court. As Governor Fubara quipped at the recent NPA Port Harcourt International Polo Tournament, where he was special guest of honour, “Amidst all the noise and the love letter I was served, I am still the Governor of Rivers.” The next chapter will depend on how the Court of Appeal rules, but the initial ambush in Oyigbo has already reshaped Rivers State’s political landscape.
Another stroke for Wike the judgment delivered on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 in which he (Wike) lost his grip on the PDP when Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja sacked Senator Samuel Anyanwu, his trusted ally as the party’s National Secretary.
As Wike contends with his many troubles, workers of the Federal Capital Territory are protesting his draconian ways of administering the ministry and issues of land allocations, demolitions and outright abuse of powers in an unprecedented manner, which sources from the presidency now see as an affront and a deliberate attempt to cause crisis in the nation’s capital, a development being explored by the opposition and other concerned Nigerians to ask for the minister’s removal or redeployment to another ministry.
