The Rivers State House of Assembly’s attempt at initiating impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, has met a brick wall as his new party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has totally rejected the move.
The Rivers State chapter of the APC insisted that such action could destabilise the state.
In a statement issued by the party’s Spokesperson, Darlington Nwauju, the party leadership said it had taken note of what it described as “unfortunate developments” coming out of the House of Assembly.
While acknowledging that the legislature is an independent arm of government with constitutional oversight powers, the APC insisted that resorting to impeachment was unacceptable.
According to the party, it could not remain silent while unresolved internal crises from the Peoples Democratic Party were allowed to spill over and threaten the stability of an APC-led government in Rivers State.
Nwauju stated that the impeachment threat appears to be linked to budgetary issues, which he said do not justify such an extreme legislative measure.
The party recalled that during the period of emergency rule in the state, a budget was transmitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in May 2025.
The party said that the budget was subsequently approved by the Senate on June 25, 2025, and by the House of Representatives on July 22, 2025, with a total allocation of ₦1.485 trillion.
According to the APC, the budget was designed to run for one year, until August 2026.
The statement added that the governor is not constitutionally compelled to present a supplementary budget if he is satisfied with the existing appropriation.
The APC further pointed out that the Constitution permits a governor to continue spending for up to six months into a new fiscal year, insisting that the impeachment threat lacks legal and moral justification.
The Rivers APC called on the members of the State House of Assembly, particularly those elected on the party’s platform, to resist what it described as external pressure aimed at destabilising the government.
“We will do everything possible to ensure that the APC-led government of Rivers State is not undermined through internal disagreements,” the statement said.
Nwauju also called on lawmakers to immediately discontinue the impeachment process, warning that it could damage the image of the APC and derail ongoing development efforts in the state.
The APC urged political actors to uphold democratic principles and allow governance to prevail, rather than permitting political rivalries to disrupt peace and stability in Rivers State.
Wike and Governor Fubara have been at loggerheads over the control of Rivers politics. Wike, who was instrumental to Fubara’s emergence as a governor, has repeatedly accused him of breaching their agreement even after President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state. He also declared that Fubara’s move to the APC does not guarantee him a return ticket in 2027.
