Rivers Tension Deepens As INC, Political Groups Kick Against Fubara Impeachment

Political tension in Rivers State has escalated after the State House of Assembly issued a notice of allegations and gross misconduct against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, giving them a seven-day deadline to respond.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Reacting in a statement on Thursday, the President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof. Benjamin Okaba, denounced the impeachment move, warning that it poses a serious danger to democracy, peace, and stability in Rivers State and the wider Niger Delta.

Describing the action as the third such attempt since 2023, Okaba said it reflects a persistent pattern of political vendetta that must be halted. He stressed that the INC stands with Rivers residents and all proponents of constitutional governance in opposing the impeachment.

“This is not an Ijaw issue; it is a matter of democracy,” Okaba said, urging Nigerians to see the development as a national concern rather than an ethnic one.

Addressing the allegations—which centre on governance matters such as budget implementation and appointments—Okaba argued that such issues should be handled through established legal and institutional processes, not exploited for political warfare. He questioned the speed and circumstances surrounding the process, noting that although Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution was cited, it appeared to be applied more as a political weapon than a genuine oversight mechanism.

Okaba also linked the impeachment effort to the collapse of a peace agreement brokered by President Bola Tinubu in June 2025, which was intended to resolve the rift between Governor Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Calling on President Tinubu to intervene, the INC leader urged him to uphold constitutional democracy in Rivers State and ensure that the federal government remains neutral in the dispute.

“The peace and economic stability of the Niger Delta depend on the federal government acting as an impartial arbiter,” Okaba said, adding that the President must rein in forces capable of destabilising the region.

Despite rising tensions, Okaba appealed to Rivers residents and the Ijaw community to remain peaceful and law-abiding, stressing that development projects initiated by the state government should not be derailed by political conflicts. He maintained that sustained peace can only be achieved through inclusive dialogue.

Meanwhile, Governor Fubara’s political camp, operating under the Supreme Council for Sim (SCS), also condemned the impeachment process, describing it as unlawful. Speaking after an emergency meeting in Port Harcourt on Friday, SCS leader, Ambassador Oji Ngofa, said the impeachment attempt was politically motivated and lacked constitutional justification.

Ngofa argued that the allegations cited by the Assembly had no legal foundation, noting that the governor had duly transmitted the budget and that the Constitution allows a six-month grace period into the new fiscal year.

“Raising impeachment over budgetary issues amounts to playing dangerous politics with the future of Rivers people,” Ngofa said, insisting that the process was an abuse of power.

He further accused lawmakers backing the impeachment of acting in self-interest rather than in the interest of the state, vowing that the group would resist any effort to undermine Rivers State’s collective patrimony.

According to Ngofa, the prolonged political crisis has insulted the sensibilities of Rivers residents, adding that the Assembly’s actions do not reflect the will of the people. He called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to discipline its lawmakers who endorsed the move, arguing that they failed to exhaust internal conflict-resolution mechanisms.

Ngofa concluded by reaffirming support for Governor Fubara, stating that the political direction associated with Nyesom Wike does not align with the interests of Rivers people and has delivered little legislative value to the state.