• Elders, rights group warn against impeachment move
• Wike plays down sack talk, reaffirms support for Tinubu
Rivers State’s political crisis entered a new phase yesterday as the House of Assembly alleged moves to derail impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara through restraining orders from courts outside Port Harcourt.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Enemi Alabo George, the Assembly said it had received “credible information” on the alleged moves.
The allegation comes amid an escalating political crisis in the state.
Last Thursday, the House, through a motion sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol, resolved to commence an investigation into the financial and administrative activities of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
At the centre of the allegations against the governor is the alleged failure to submit the Mid-Term Expenditure Framework as required by law, as well as claims of spending public funds without legislative appropriation.
Lawmakers argued that the alleged actions amounted to grave violations of constitutional provisions and undermined the authority of the legislature.
The Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, said due process would be followed and that the law would be allowed to take its full course, adding that the impeachment proceedings would be pursued to their logical conclusion.
Shortly after the sitting, an impeachment notice against the governor and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, circulated widely on social media. The House later confirmed that impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy were ongoing, with official notices of allegations of gross misconduct formally forwarded to both officials.
In a statement dated January 9, 2026, and signed by George, the Assembly said the process was “fully on course in line with relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”
“The two notices of allegations of gross misconduct brought pursuant to Section 188 of the Constitution against the Governor and Deputy Governor have been forwarded to them by the Speaker of the House, while we await their responses,” the statement said.
Fubara appeals for calm
MEANWHILE, Governor Siminalayi Fubara called for calm among residents amid the ongoing impeachment process initiated by the House of Assembly.
The governor made the appeal during a church service to mark the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, assuring the congregation that “everything will be fine.”
Fubara said his decision to remain silent in the face of what he described as distractions was deliberate, adding that he draws strength from his faith in God.
He spoke briefly before inviting his deputy, Ngozi Odu, who had earlier read the first lesson at the service, to address the congregation.
In her remarks, the deputy governor thanked worshippers for attending the service and urged them to maintain good conduct, in line with the admonition of the Dean of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop Blessing Eyinda, who stressed in his sermon that every action would be remembered.
Odu also appealed to residents to continue to uphold the administration in prayer, describing such support as the pillar sustaining the government.
Elders, rights group fault impeachment move in Rivers
ALSO, the Rivers Elders and Leadership Forum described impeachment as a grave constitutional process that should not be used as an instrument of political vendetta or factional battles.
In a statement signed by its Acting Chairman and former Deputy Governor of the state, Gabriel Toby, the forum said the reasons advanced so far to justify the impeachment move were “disturbingly weak,” lacking substance, public interest justification and constitutional merit.
The elders argued that the move appeared to be driven by narrow personal interests rather than genuine concern for good governance, warning that it could deepen political divisions, erode public confidence in democratic institutions and further destabilise the state.
They noted that Rivers State is yet to fully recover from the political and institutional disruptions associated with the recent period of emergency rule.
Similarly, the Civil Liberty Organisation expressed concern that the prevailing political tension in the state could distort constitutional procedures and turn them into instruments of conflict rather than tools for democratic oversight.
The group made the position known in a statement signed by its state Chairman, Sunny Dada, and Secretary, Chris Onyegbule.
Wike dismisses sack talk, restates support for Tinubu
IN a related political development, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, said President Bola Tinubu has the right to remove him as minister if he so wishes.
Wike made the declaration yesterday during the grand finale of his ‘Thank You’ tour of local councils in Rivers State, held at the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola.
He said his support for President Tinubu in 2023 was based on his belief in the President, which informed his decision to fully back Tinubu’s victory in that year’s general elections.
“So, like the Minority Leader (Kingsley Chinda, member, House of Representatives) said, we never signed an agreement with the President in 2023. We never sat down with Mr President. All Mr President told us was, ‘Support us, you will not regret it.’ And for that support, and by the glory of God, he saw what we did,” Wike said.
The FCT minister said President Tinubu had reciprocated the support by offering appointments and other assistance to Rivers people, citing the appointment of a Rivers indigene as Minister of the FCT as an example.
Wike assured that the President would continue to receive similar backing, while taking a swipe at supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate in 2023, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, whom he said could deliver only 10 per cent of votes in Rivers State.
He warned that Atiku, who has now defected to the African Democratic Congress, would face a similar outcome in Rivers State if he emerged as the party’s presidential candidate in 2027.
Also speaking, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, whose members are reportedly at odds with Governor Siminalayi Fubara, declared Wike as their political leader.
Amaewhule, an indigene of Obio/Akpor Local Council like the FCT minister, alongside factional PDP and APC chairmen, House of Representatives member Kingsley Chinda and others, pledged their full support for Wike in ensuring President Tinubu’s re-election.
