Rivers APC rejects impeachment move against Fubara, warns of political instability
The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the impeachment process initiated by the Rivers State House of Assembly against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, describing the move as destabilising and unnecessary.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by the party’s spokesperson, Darlington Nwauju, the APC said it respected the constitutional independence of the legislature but would not support what it described as a resort to impeachment against an APC-led government.
“Our position as at today on this matter is that we solemnly reject the resort to an impeachment process against our governor and his deputy,” the party said.
The APC warned lawmakers, particularly its members in the Assembly, against yielding to external pressure that could plunge the state into political turmoil, insisting that internal disputes should not be allowed to destabilise the government.
“It will be totally untenable for our party to keep quiet when an obvious hangover from strifes that occurred within the PDP are allowed to resurface in our great party,” Nwauju stated.
Addressing claims that the impeachment move was linked to budgetary concerns, the APC recalled that during the period of emergency rule, a ₦1.485 trillion budget was transmitted to the National Assembly in May 2025 and subsequently approved by the Senate on June 25 and the House of Representatives on July 22, 2025.
The party said the budget is expected to run until August 2026 and argued that the governor is under no constitutional obligation to present a supplementary budget. It also reminded the Assembly that the constitution allows a six-month spending window into a new fiscal year.
The APC stressed that it would resist any attempt to destabilise the Rivers State government through internal conflicts, warning that such actions could damage the party’s image and stall development in the state.
Although Governor Fubara has not publicly commented on the impeachment move, the APC has called on the House of Assembly to discontinue the process.
The party’s reaction followed the commencement of impeachment proceedings by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly on Thursday. During plenary presided over by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, the Majority Leader, Major Jack, read a notice of allegations against the governor pursuant to Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution.
Jack listed seven allegations of gross misconduct, including the demolition of the Assembly complex, extra-budgetary spending, withholding funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission, and alleged disobedience of a Supreme Court ruling on the financial autonomy of the House. Twenty-six lawmakers signed the notice.
Amaewhule said the notice would be forwarded to Governor Fubara within seven days.
Separately, the Deputy Leader, Linda Stewart, presented a notice of gross misconduct against Odu, accusing her of reckless and unconstitutional spending, obstruction of the Assembly’s duties, and approving budgets outside the recognised legislature.
The latest development marks the second impeachment attempt against Fubara and Odu in less than a year. A similar move in March 2025 followed a political fallout between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, which culminated in President Bola Tinubu declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State.
Tinubu suspended the governor, his deputy and the Assembly for six months and appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as administrator. Fubara later returned to office after a reconciliation process brokered by the president.
In December, Fubara defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC, citing the need to fully align with President Tinubu. His defection followed the earlier movement of some Rivers lawmakers to the ruling party.