The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the impeachment proceedings initiated by the Rivers State House of Assembly against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, describing the move as unnecessary and capable of destabilising the state.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by the party’s spokesperson, Darlington Nwauju, the APC said while it respects the constitutional independence of the legislature, it would not support what it described as a resort to impeachment against an APC-led government.
“Our position as at today on this matter is that we solemnly reject the resort to an impeachment process against our Governor and his deputy,” the statement read.
The party warned lawmakers, especially its members in the Assembly, against succumbing to external influences that could plunge the state into political instability.
“It will be totally untenable for our party to keep quiet when an obvious hangover from strifes that occurred within the PDP are allowed to resurface in our great party,” Nwauju said.
Responding to claims that the impeachment threat is linked to budgetary concerns, the APC recalled that during the period of emergency rule, a ₦1.485 trillion budget was transmitted to the National Assembly in May 2025 and subsequently approved by the Senate and the House of Representatives in June and July 2025 respectively. According to the party, the budget is expected to run until August 2026.
The APC noted that the governor is within his constitutional rights not to present a supplementary budget and reminded the Assembly that the law permits a six-month spending window into a new fiscal year.
“Let it be known that our party will do everything possible to ensure that the Government of Rivers State, which is an APC government, is not destabilised through fratricidal disagreements,” the statement added.
Although Governor Fubara has yet to publicly comment on the latest development, the Rivers APC called on the Assembly to discontinue the impeachment process, warning that it could harm the party’s image and slow the state’s development.
The party’s reaction follows the formal commencement of impeachment proceedings by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly on Thursday. During plenary presided over by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, the Majority Leader, Major Jack, read a notice of allegations against Governor Fubara in line with Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution.
Jack outlined seven allegations of gross misconduct, including the demolition of the Assembly complex, extra-budgetary spending, withholding funds meant for the Assembly Service Commission, and alleged disobedience of a Supreme Court ruling on the financial autonomy of the legislature. The notice was signed by 26 lawmakers.
Amaewhule said the notice would be forwarded to Governor Fubara within seven days. Separately, the Deputy Leader, Linda Stewart, presented a notice of gross misconduct against Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, citing allegations such as reckless and unconstitutional spending, obstruction of the Assembly’s work, and approval of budgets outside the recognised legislature.
The development marks the second impeachment attempt against Fubara and Odu in less than a year. A similar move in March 2025 followed a political rift between the governor and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, which led President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.
At the time, Tinubu suspended the governor, his deputy and the Assembly for six months and appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as administrator. Fubara later returned to office after a reconciliation process brokered by the president.
In December, Fubara defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, saying the move was necessary to fully align with President Tinubu. His defection followed the earlier movement of some Rivers lawmakers to the ruling party.
