Photo: Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule
The Rivers State House of Assembly has suspended impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, following the intervention of President Bola Tinubu.
The decision was taken on Thursday during plenary in Port Harcourt, signaling a temporary easing of the protracted political crisis that has gripped the oil-rich state.
Lawmakers had initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara and Odu in January over allegations of gross misconduct. During a sitting presided over by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, Majority Leader Major Jack presented a notice containing seven allegations against the governor pursuant to Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution.
The accusations included the demolition of the Assembly complex, alleged extra-budgetary spending, withholding funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission, and disobedience of a Supreme Court ruling on the legislature’s financial autonomy. Twenty-six lawmakers reportedly signed the notice, which was to be forwarded to the governor.
Deputy Leader Linda Stewart also submitted separate allegations against the deputy governor, accusing her of unconstitutional expenditure, obstructing legislative activities, approving budgets through unauthorized channels, and withholding salaries and allowances.
However, the impeachment push soon ran into legal hurdles. The state Chief Judge, Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi, declined the Assembly’s request to constitute the seven-member investigative panel required by law, citing a subsisting interim injunction issued by the Rivers State High Court.
The restraining order, granted on January 16, 2026, by Justice Florence Fiberesima, barred the Chief Judge, the Speaker, and the Clerk of the House from taking further steps on the impeachment, following suits filed by the governor and his deputy challenging the legality of the process.
The political impasse drew widespread reactions, including opposition from the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, which described the impeachment move as destabilizing and unnecessary.
Amid escalating tensions, President Tinubu convened a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa with Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who is widely regarded as the governor’s political godfather. Wike later confirmed that the meeting, held on February 9, was initiated by the President as part of renewed efforts to broker peace between the governor and state lawmakers.
Expressing appreciation for the President’s intervention, Wike voiced optimism that the move would restore lasting stability in Rivers State, noting that it was the second time Tinubu had stepped into the dispute and expressing hope it would be the last.
The latest development follows the issuance of a third impeachment notice against Fubara by lawmakers believed to be loyal to Wike, underscoring the deep-seated political rift in the state.
This marks the second impeachment attempt against Fubara and his deputy. A similar move in March 2025, triggered by the fallout between the governor and his predecessor, Wike, escalated into a major crisis that prompted President Tinubu to declare a state of emergency, suspend the governor, his deputy, and lawmakers for six months, and appoint Ibokette Ibas as sole administrator.
Fubara later returned to office after a political reconciliation involving Wike and members of the Assembly. The political landscape shifted further in December when the governor defected from the People’s Democratic Party, the platform on which he was elected in 2023, to the ruling party.
Further details are expected as the situation continues to unfold.
