Rivers State yesterday slipped deeper into another political turmoil as lawmakers moved to deploy the ultimate weapon against the governor and his deputy – impeachment.

What began as a simmering struggle for control has now escalated into a high-stakes showdown that could upend the state’s leadership.

The State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, initiated fresh impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.


The lawmakers reconvened for a special plenary and tabled allegations of gross misconduct against Fubara in a voluminous document.

During a sitting beamed live on national television stations, the House insisted that the governor must be investigated for offences bordering on gross misconduct and total disobedience to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as extant laws of the state.

The document was read on the floor of the House by the Majority Leader, Major Jack.


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The impeachment notice was signed by 26 members out of the 27 that are available. Only one member abstained.

The House has 32 statutory members, three members are on suspension, one member resigned and another one died. Both have not being replaced.

Allegations of unauthorised spending
Central to the allegations is Fubara’s alleged authorisation, approval, withdrawal and expenditure of funds from the state’s Consolidated Revenue Fund without legislative appropriation.


The document alleged: “No appropriation bill of Rivers State has been presented nor has any such law been duly passed into law, as the purported presentation and passage of the 2024 Appropriation Bill is void ab initio.”

Fubara was accused of authorising and approving withdrawals from the Consolidated Revenue Account in 2024 without a duly passed appropriation law by the Assembly, contrary to Section 120 of the 1999 Constitution.

He was also said to have awarded contracts, including the construction of a new Rivers State House of Assembly complex, without legislative approval.


The lawmakers further alleged that the governor authorised withdrawals from the Consolidated Revenue Fund in 2025, particularly between January and March, without a duly passed appropriation law by the Assembly.

They accused Fubara of violating Section 122 of the Constitution by authorising expenditure from the Consolidated Revenue Fund even after the Assembly declared a shutdown of state expenditure through a House resolution.

The lawmakers said that on February 28, 2025, the Supreme Court restored a judgment of the Federal High Court, which confirmed that Fubara never presented any appropriation bill for 2024, did not have one for 2025, and ordered a shutdown of the state’s expenditures.


The governor was also accused of approving, sometime in September 2023, extra-budgetary expenditure of N5 billion for the Ogoni-Andoni Unity Road without appropriation.

The document further alleged that Fubara “approved and expended from the Consolidated Account an extra-budgetary fund of N4 billion and purported to have expended same on the Woji Refinery Road without appropriation,” among other claims.

On allegations of gross misconduct, the lawmakers accused the governor of misappropriation of public funds, contrary to the 1999 Constitution.


He was also accused of obstructing the Rivers State House of Assembly from performing its constitutional duties, citing the demolition of the Assembly complex on October 13, 2023.

Fubara was further alleged to have appointed individuals into public offices in the state without subjecting them to the constitutionally required screening and confirmation by the Assembly.

The governor was also accused of seizing salaries, allowances and other funds belonging to the Rivers State House of Assembly, contrary to Section 121 of the Constitution.


Lawmakers said he seized the salaries of the Clerk of the House, Emeka Amadi, and refused to implement decisions on the financial autonomy of both the Rivers State House of Assembly and the state judiciary.

He was further accused of withholding funds meant for the operations of the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission, thereby frustrating a commission established under Part II of the 1999 Constitution.

In their petition, the 26 lawmakers stated: “The governor has shown that he is not prepared to govern Rivers State in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his oath of office.


“The Supreme Court condemned the actions of the governor when the court stated that the fear of impeachment by the eight respondents is no justification for the attack on the rule of law.”

While receiving the document, Speaker Amaewhule said it was submitted pursuant to Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution.

“I am in receipt of the letter and, in pursuant of the 1999 Constitution, I will ensure that the letter is forwarded to the governor within seven days,” Amaewhule said.


Fubara could not be reached for his reaction yesterday.

It was learnt, although, not confirmed that the governor was not in the state.

Case against deputy governor
The Deputy Leader of the House, Linda Stewart, also presented a separate notice of alleged gross misconduct against Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Odu.

Odu was accused of reckless and unconstitutional spending of public funds, obstruction of the House from performing its constitutional duties, and colluding to allow unauthorised individuals to occupy public offices without proper screening by the legislature.

She was also accused of seeking budgetary approval from an alternative group rather than the constitutionally recognised Rivers State House of Assembly, as well as withholding salaries and allowances due to lawmakers and the Assembly Service Commission.

‘We’ll resign if impeachment fails’
Amaewhule and other lawmakers vowed to resign should the impeachment process fail.

“It will be better for lawmakers to step down than allow Fubara to defraud the people of Rivers State,” he said.

The Speaker explained that the lingering political crisis in the state was not a battle between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Fubara, but a confrontation between the governor and the Constitution.

Youths clash over Fubara’s impeachment
Youth groups in Rivers State took opposing positions over the move to impeach Fubara.

The Rivers State Youth Parliament (RSYP) declared its support for the lawmakers’ decision to investigate the governor over alleged gross misconduct.

In a statement signed by its Speaker, Wisdom Bruce, the group described the impeachment process as “timely and necessary” in the interest of peace, stability and democratic governance in the state.

RSYP said Rivers State had experienced prolonged political tension, a breakdown of trust among stakeholders and repeated breaches of peace accords brokered by the President and other national leaders.

The group alleged that these agreements were consistently violated by the governor, thereby undermining efforts to restore political stability.

According to RSYP, the alleged breaches amount to an affront to democratic norms and constitutional responsibility.

It stressed that impeachment, as provided for in the Constitution, is not an act of vendetta but a legitimate democratic process to safeguard governance, uphold the rule of law and protect the public interest.

The youth parliament also warned that continued political instability could worsen economic stagnation, erode investor confidence and shrink opportunities for young people, who it said bear the brunt of governance failures.

But, the South South Youths Initiative (SSYI) condemned the impeachment move, describing it as ill-conceived and destabilising.

In a statement signed by its National President, Imeabe Saviour Oscar, the group said youths across the South-South, particularly in Rivers State, were disturbed by the impeachment notice.

SSYI argued that the action was coming at a time when Rivers people expected cooperation between the executive and the legislature to restore effective governance after what it described as a six-month near collapse during emergency rule.

The group said it was unfortunate that while other states were focused on governance, Rivers State was still trapped in political battles.

It appealed to lawmakers to work with the governor to deliver good governance, and urged Fubara to remain focused despite what it called political distractions.

CLO urges dialogue
The Rivers State chapter of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) appealed to parties to shun hostilities and embrace dialogue in resolving the ongoing political crisis.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Sunny Dada, and Secretary-General, Christian Onyegbule, the group urged lawmakers to reconsider the impeachment move reportedly linked to the governor’s alleged failure to present the 2026 appropriation bill.

It warned that although the Constitution empowers state assemblies to initiate impeachment, such powers must be exercised with due process, fairness, and good faith to avoid being seen as instruments of political conflict.

The CLO expressed concern that Rivers State’s tense political atmosphere could undermine the credibility of constitutional procedures.

It insisted that the Assembly must strictly comply with constitutional provisions, standing rules, and judicial precedents, noting that any impeachment carried out in haste or bad faith would lack legitimacy.

The organisation also maintained that the governor must be granted full constitutional protections, including adequate time to respond and an impartial investigative process.

According to CLO, the budget dispute cannot be isolated from the broader political and institutional crisis in the state.

It urged all parties to prioritise dialogue, calling on the governor to initiate engagement by presenting the 2026 budget to the Assembly.


The political crisis in Rivers began shortly after Fubara assumed office in May 2023, following a dramatic fallout with his predecessor and political benefactor, Wike.

The rift, initially a struggle for control of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structure and state resources, quickly spread to the legislature.

A faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly aligned with Wike moved to assert authority, while Fubara was accused by lawmakers of sidelining the Assembly, withholding funds, and governing without legislative backing.

Tensions peaked in October 2023 with the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, an action widely interpreted as an attempt to weaken the legislature.

This deepened institutional paralysis, leading to rival claims of legitimacy within the Assembly and prolonged court battles over budgetary approvals and executive authority.

Despite judicial interventions, the crisis worsened, with governance effectively stalled amid accusations of constitutional breaches, unauthorised spending, and legislative obstruction.

The breakdown of order and governance, and the bombing of an oil infrastructure, eventually prompted the presidential declaration of a state of emergency in the state, suspending key democratic institutions in an attempt to restore stability.

Retired Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas was appointed as the Administrator for six months.

At the end of the emergency rule, Fubara joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Wike, backed by loyal lawmakers and political allies, launched a statewide mobilisation drive under the banner of the “Rainbow Coalition,” positioning it as a broad-based political movement aimed at reclaiming Rivers State, re-electing President Tinubu and defending constitutional order ahead of future elections.

The Wike-led coalition’s tour has further sharpened political tensions, with the minister also clashing with APC National Secretary Senator Ajibola Basiru over alleged interference, signalling that the underlying power struggle between rival camps remains unresolved.