Senior figures and governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have begun behind-the-scenes efforts to calm rising political tensions in Rivers State following a renewed impeachment threat against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.
The intervention follows the decision of the Rivers State House of Assembly to issue a seven-day notice accusing the governor and his deputy of gross misconduct. Sources within the APC confirmed that party leaders are pursuing a “political solution” to prevent a fresh outbreak of violence and instability in the oil-rich state.
According to insiders, both Governor Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, are being engaged, while the Presidency is being kept informed of developments. Top government officials and influential politicians are reportedly reaching out to key actors to defuse the crisis.
The political temperature rose on Thursday when the Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, formally commenced impeachment proceedings, citing the governor’s alleged refusal to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill. Lawmakers aligned with Wike accused Fubara of frustrating legislative duties and engaging in actions they described as impeachable offences.
Seven allegations were read against the governor, including the demolition of the Assembly complex, extra-budgetary spending, withholding funds meant for the legislature and non-compliance with court rulings on legislative financial autonomy. Similar allegations were also levelled against the deputy governor.
Amaewhule said the misconduct largely revolved around budgetary issues and spending outside the appropriation law, insisting that Rivers State was the only state yet to present a 2026 budget. He described the governor as a threat to democracy and claimed President Bola Tinubu had intervened several times without success.
The Speaker announced that the Assembly would suspend consideration of the 2026 budget until the impeachment investigation is concluded, while the governor would be formally notified to respond within seven days.
The state government has so far urged calm, saying it would respond only after receiving official communication from the Assembly. A senior official stressed that the administration’s priority remains peace and stability.
Meanwhile, the APC faction loyal to former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi rejected the impeachment process, describing it as an attempt to import internal PDP disputes into the ruling party. The party argued that a N1.485 trillion budget approved during the period of emergency rule remains valid until August 2026, making the impeachment threat unnecessary.
Civil society groups, youth organisations and women’s groups have also raised concerns, warning that the move could plunge Rivers State into another round of crisis. The Ijaw Youths Council and South-South Youths Initiative called for restraint, while the Civil Liberties Organisation cautioned against using impeachment as a political weapon.
Adding to the pressure, NADECO-USA urged President Tinubu to sack the FCT minister to restore peace, blaming Wike for escalating tensions in the state.
Rivers State has remained politically volatile due to a prolonged power struggle between Fubara and his predecessor, Wike. The rift, which began shortly after Fubara assumed office in 2023, has split the legislature, disrupted governance and led to repeated impeachment threats. Fubara’s recent defection from the PDP to the APC has further reshaped the state’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
