In their bid to dance to the tune of the paymaster of Rivers State politics, Nyesom Wike, members of the state House of Assembly continue to rally their colleagues to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara in a move many think will fail
By Chinedu Oguh, Port Harcourt
Rivers State is back in the news again, and as usual, not for anything pleasant. Nigerians thought that having been out of office for six months, as soon as the Rivers State Executive and Legislature resumed work in September 2025, they would hit the ground running to provide good governance, but alas, we were wrong.
Once again, Rivers State is in the eye of a political storm as the House of Assembly has initiated yet another impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
This latest move, the third within barely three years, has reopened deep wounds in the state’s fragile democratic structure and raises troubling questions about power, loyalty and the survival of constitutional governance in Nigeria.
Under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) if the Rivers State House of Assembly succeeds in its plot to impeach the Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule automatically becomes the next person in line to assume the executive authority.
This is to prevent a vacuum in executive authority within the state, but Amaewhule would be required to resign as speaker and as a member of the Assembly. Also he would take the Oath of Office as Governor, thereby completing the constitutional line of succession.
Fubara’s loyalists believe that Amewhule’s alleged interest for the governorship position was behind the move to impeach Fubara and his deputy.
Tentacle investigations revealed that in 2023 and 2025 when the same attempt was made, Fubara’s deputy was not targeted until the latest move where the deputy Majority Leader, Linda Stelware presented a notice of gross misconduct against Prof. Ngozi Odu.
The Assembly, following allegations of gross misconduct against Fubara, activated Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which is the commencement of impeachment proceedings.
That notice of gross misconduct, which was signed by the 26 members of the Assembly, was presented to the House by the Majority Leader, Rt. Hon. Major Jack.
Fubara was accused of withholding funds meant for the Assembly and service commission. Among other seven point allegations leveled against the Governor were extra budgeting spending, flouting the Supreme Court judgement.
For Tamara Preye, all the noise, shouting and impeachment drama that’s really paining the Rivers Speaker is simple: “He is the only speaker in present-day Nigeria who has never passed a budget in his state. Imagine being Speaker for over two years and watching Governors across the country present, defend and pass budgets while your own Assembly is stuck in court battles, proxy fights and political ego wars. No budget, no legislative achievement, no record to show nothing tangible except press statements and impeachment threats.
Donates Ibe, a loyalist to Fubara, said the governor remains the Speaker’s biggest headache, because the Governor denied him the one political trophy that would put ‘something’ on his name. And in Nigeria politics, the budget is not just paperwork, it is the real power, the real negotiation table and the real relevance and missing out completely hurts deeply.
“Now, all that’s left is to chase impeachment like a consolation prize. From Speaker to Spectator and from legislative leader to Wike’s megaphone, Rivers’ politics is very dicey and funny.”
Meanwhile two members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have withdrawn their support for the ongoing impeachment move against the governor and his deputy, citing appeals from respected stakeholders within and outside the state.
Representative of Omuma constituency, Hon. Sylvanus Nwankwo, who first moved the first impeachment plot against Governor Fubara and his Deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu on Monday, October 30, 2023 along with Hon. Peter Abbey, (APC) Degema, having pulled out of the impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara, pleaded with their colleagues to shelve the move.
Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Sylvanus Nwankwo, leading other nine members of the PDP in the House alongside Peter Abbey, announced their change of position during a press briefing on January 11, 2026 in Port Harcourt.
The legislators urged the Assembly to halt the impeachment process and explore alternative means of resolving the crises. ”According to the lawmakers, their decision was influenced by interventions “our elders and leaders” who appealed for restraint and reconciliation in the interest of peace and stability of the state. We appeal to our fellow colleagues to temper justice with mercy and see how we can solve this matter without impeachment proceedings.”
This comes barely 24 hours after Wike was sighted in the hallowed chamber on the day of the latest impeachment plot to ensure all members assented to the plot, as some were said not to be comfortable with it, left Rivers State for Abuja after spending 22 days in the state. Some analysts said it was the first of its kind since Wike became minister on Monday, August 21, 2023.
Meanwhile, the Presidency is said to be watering developments in Rivers State with keen interest.
A reliable presidential source said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is interested in peace, but he is yet to intervene in the political crisis rocking the oil rich state. “President Tinubu is certainly interested and he is following developments in Rivers State”. The source said.
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) which remains the most authoritative of Ogoni socio-cultural groups has alerted the nation that the impending move to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara may turn back the hand of the clock and derail ongoing talks on the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoni Land. MOSOP, which spoke purely from an economic point of view, said what is happening, the state is simply bad for business.
Rivers State has not had peace since APC declared Fubara as the leader of the state in line with established norms and conventions.
Wike had described Fubara as a bad and an ungrateful child, insisting that he would not allow himself to be buried politically and insisted he and his followers would not be pushed aside by anyone.
Despite reservations being expressed by quite a number of bewildered Nigerians, Wike continues to issue threats, asking those who say what is happening in Rivers State is a rascality taken too far to stay clear.
MOSOP which weighed in on the unfolding development in the state warned that political instability in Rivers State could scare away investors and stall plans to resume oil production in Ogoni Land.
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt, MOSOP President, Fegalo Nsuke, said resuming crude production in Ogoni Land which could yield roughly 500,000 barrels per day and over $30 million revenue daily, depends on a peaceful environment that attracts investors.
Nsuke warned that the impeachment move could send the wrong signal to potential investors who are likely to avoid crisis-prone business climate.
He also described the impeachment attempts as an affront to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mediation efforts to resolve ongoing political tensions in Rivers State.
MOSOP urged lawmakers to halt impeachment plans to protect Nigeria’s International image and safeguard economic prospects tied to oil revenue from Ogoni Land.
Governor Fubara has urged calm, stating that he is not worried about the impeachment threat, citing his faith in God. He emphasized that his actions were aimed at serving the people and fulfilling his constitutional duties.
The Rivers State APC faction has condemned the impeachment move describing it as an attempt to destabilize the government, while the party’s national leadership has been urged to intervene and resolve the crisis in the interest of good governance.
