The All Progressives Congress (APC) South-South Group has accused members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of initiating impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The group claims this move is in retaliation for the governor’s refusal to approve fictitious projects in the state’s 2026 budget proposal.
According to the APC South-South Group, the impeachment proceedings are not based on any breach of the peace agreement brokered by President Bola Tinubu to resolve the prolonged political crisis in the state. Instead, the group alleges that lawmakers are attempting to punish the governor for resisting attempts to inflate the state budget with questionable projects. Coordinator Freedom Amadi stated that the situation in Rivers State is not a constitutional dispute, but a deliberate attempt to punish the governor for refusing to compromise public finances for private political interests.
The Rivers State House of Assembly had accused Governor Fubara of acting in bad faith and undermining the Tinubu-brokered agreement, citing financial impropriety and excessive spending beyond the provisions of the 2025 budget. However, the APC South-South Group rejected these claims, warning that such statements amount to open defiance of presidential authority and pose a threat to democratic stability.
The group emphasized that President Tinubu’s peace initiative is not optional or disposable, and that the agreement was meant to restore stability and enable governance without coercion, not to subject the governor to legislative domination. The APC South-South Group also pointed to the alleged influence of Minister Wike, arguing that lawmakers driving the impeachment process are acting in alignment with the FCT Minister.
The group raised concerns about Wike’s loyalty to President Tinubu, given his continued silence despite serving in an APC-led federal government. Amadi noted that the trust extended by the president is being abused if a serving minister allows his loyalists to openly undermine a presidential peace initiative.
The APC South-South Group warned that using impeachment as a tool for settling political scores would erode public confidence in democratic institutions and weaken the credibility of the legislature. The group called on the Rivers State House of Assembly to suspend all impeachment actions and urged the National Assembly to intervene to prevent legislative excesses. The situation in Rivers State remains a significant concern, with potential implications for the stability of democratic institutions in the region.
