After six months of a controversial emergency rule, Rivers State is once again, on the brink, not of economic collapse, but of an avoidable power struggle with potentials to derail governance and cause instability.
Since January 8, 2026 when 27 Rivers State Assembly lawmakers, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule began the impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu, the presentation of the state’s 2026 Appropriation Bill and Mid-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, has stalled.
The desperate move, which is calculated to serve the interest of a few political elites, has enveloped the once peaceful and thriving state in an atmosphere of uncertainty; and is not only condemnable but a dangerous distraction essentially at odds with responsible governance.
Hiding on allegations of gross misconduct, the legislators called for an investigation into the governor’s financial and administrative actions.
At a time when Rivers people expect tangible dividends of democracy such as jobs, infrastructure, social services, and stability, the state’s political elite appears consumed by a contest for supremacy between the executive and the legislature, with shadows of past godfatherism still looming large.
President Bola Tinubu’s intervention, through his Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has brought much-needed clarity to the matter.
By reaffirming Governor Fubara as the leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State and insisting that no one should obstruct him from governing, the President has drawn a clear line: constitutional order, party discipline, and the rule of law must prevail over personal ambition and political vendetta.
Even more compelling is the position of the Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi, who has refused, rightly so, to constitute a probe panel for the impeachment process.
His decision was not political but legal as subsisting court orders restrained any such action, and appeals are already before the Court of Appeal. Constitutional democracy treats court orders not as advisory notes but binding commands; to ignore them is to invite chaos.
It is our take that the Rivers State Assembly must not treat impeachment as a political bargaining chip, but a grave constitutional mechanism that exists to address only proven gross misconduct, not to settle scores, assert dominance, or execute political rivalries.
The regular threats to remove Governor Fubara raises serious questions about motive and appropriateness; what do his traducers stand to gain apart from asserting their ill-conceived dominance and access to the state’s treasury?
Rivers State is Nigeria’s oil heartbeat, a key contributor to national revenue and energy security. The state has already tasted instability, including the extraordinary imposition of emergency rule in 2025 following heightened tensions and threats to oil infrastructure.
The state can no longer afford a relapse into gladiatorial politics as the Rivers people voted for a government to improve their lives, not to stage endless power struggles.
While political disagreements are inevitable in any democracy, they must be managed through dialogue and compromise, not through perpetual threats of impeachment.
It is gladdening that voices of reason are beginning to rise as the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, has correctly described the crisis as an internal political dispute best resolved through engagement, not escalation.
Its peace and reconciliation committee, led by respected statesmen, offers a credible pathway out of the impasse. That process deserves time, goodwill, and sincerity from all sides.
On its part, the Rivers State House of Assembly must resist the temptation to weaponise its oversight powers as legislative authority carries responsibility, not impunity.
Also, the executive must remain open to lawful engagement and cooperation as democratic governance thrives on checks and balances, not mutual destruction.
President Tinubu has sent a strong signal that stability, due process, and effective governance are non-negotiable. That signal should be heeded.
Rivers State does not need another chapter of political turbulence; it needs calm leadership, focused governance, and a collective commitment to public good.
Therefore, the impeachment process should be halted, not as a favour to Governor Fubara, but as a duty to democracy and to the people of Rivers State.
