Rivers Political Crisis Deepens as Lawmakers Move to Impeach Governor Fubara

Tension has escalated in Rivers State following moves by a group of lawmakers to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara, in what insiders describe as the latest chapter in the power struggle rocking the state’s political leadership.

Government sources say the impeachment push is largely driven by disagreements over financial control and political loyalty within the State House of Assembly. The crisis reportedly worsened after Governor Fubara declined to present a supplementary budget that would have created room for additional constituency projects sought by some legislators.

The lawmakers, many of whom are said to be aligned with former governor and current Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, allegedly expected fresh allocations to fund projects in their constituencies. The governor’s refusal is believed to have strained relations further, triggering moves to remove him from office.

It is alleged that months earlier, substantial funds had already been released for constituency projects, but questions were raised over the execution of many of those projects. Claims of uncompleted or questionable contracts have continued to fuel mistrust between the executive and the legislature.

Impeachment notices were subsequently issued against Governor Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, with lawmakers accusing them of gross misconduct. The Assembly leadership has maintained that the process follows constitutional provisions.

Despite calls for dialogue and reconciliation from political stakeholders and community leaders, efforts to de-escalate the crisis have so far yielded little result. Some lawmakers initially expressed reservations about the impeachment move but later returned to support the process.

The unfolding situation has sparked public concern, with critics warning that the political standoff could destabilise governance in Rivers State if not urgently resolved.