The Rivers State House of Assembly has initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Nma Odu, citing allegations of gross misconduct.

During Thursday’s plenary session, presided over by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, Majority Leader Hon. Major Jack presented a notice invoking Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution. He outlined seven points of alleged gross misconduct against Governor Fubara, including:

– Demolition of the Assembly Complex

– Extra-budgetary spending

– Withholding funds allocated to the Assembly Service Commission

– Refusal to comply with Supreme Court rulings on financial autonomy for the legislature

The notice was reportedly signed by 26 lawmakers.

Speaker Amaewhule announced that the formal impeachment notice would be served on Governor Fubara within the next seven days, in accordance with constitutional procedures.

In the same session, Deputy Majority Leader Hon. Linda Stewart tabled a separate notice against Deputy Governor Odu, accusing her of:

1. Reckless and unconstitutional spending of public funds

2. Obstructing the House of Assembly from performing its constitutional duties

3. Conniving to allow unauthorized persons to occupy offices without proper screening by the legitimate Assembly

4. Seeking budgetary approval from an unauthorized group instead of the recognized Rivers State House of Assembly

5. Seizure of salaries and allowances due to the Assembly and its Service Commission.

This development marks a fresh escalation in the protracted political crisis in Rivers State, amid ongoing tensions over legislative autonomy, budget processes, and governance.

The Assembly’s actions come against the backdrop of previous impeachment attempts and disputes involving the executive and legislature.

No immediate response has been issued from the governor’s office.

• Photo: Nyesom Wike, FCT Minister

A coalition of leaders within the All Progressives Congress (APC) are calling for swift removal of Nyesom Wike as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and from President Tinubu’s cabinet.

The coalition comprises the APC Leaders Forum (ALF) and the Tinubu/Shettima Solidarity Movement (TSSM), made the call a strongly worded open letter to Mr President, calling for Wike’s immediate removal urging the President to demonstrate that no individual is above the party or the country, even as they reaffirmed their support for Tinubu’s leadership and re-election bid.

In the open letter dated 7 January 2026, and addressed to President Bola Tinubu through the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, the groups are citing insubordination, anti-party activities, and threats to national unity.

They are accusing Wike of actions they described as incompatible with his continued stay in the cabinet of an APC-led government.

The letter, jointly signed by leaders of the two groups, was made public on Wednesday as members staged a peaceful rally at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.

The groups said the rally was part of a broader mobilisation to “defend party integrity, democratic values and the Renewed Hope Agenda” of the Tinubu administration.

The signatories—Dr. Emeka Okoro, Dr. Adekunle Balogun, Ibrahim Yusuf, and Abdulkareem Isiaka—who described themselves as loyal supporters of President Tinubu, said their decision to speak out was driven by what they termed “egregious misconduct” by the former Rivers State governor, warning that silence could endanger party unity and national stability.

Central to their grievances were allegations that Wike, who is not formally registered as a member of the APC, had launched sustained attacks on the party’s national leadership.

They cited remarks allegedly made by Wike during a visit to Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State on 5 January 2026, where he reportedly accused the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, of interfering in Rivers politics for personal gain.

The coalition also accused Wike of working against the APC-led government in Rivers State, alleging that he had persistently attacked Governor Siminalayi Fubara, whom they described as the party’s duly elected governor in the state. They claimed Wike had publicly ridiculed Fubara’s leadership, questioned the legitimacy of his emergence, and openly suggested that his election should be reversed in 2027.

“As a serving minister in an APC-led government, Wike’s actions amount to anti-party activities that weaken our hold on Rivers State—a key battleground for the APC’s future electoral success. How can we trust a man who actively works against our own governor while enjoying the privileges of your administration?”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed February 21, 2026, for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, but excluded the Labour Party candidates from the upcoming election, citing the Supreme Court rulings.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Commission’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, said the Labour Party’s challenge stemmed from “prolonged internal leadership disputes since 2024,” which, it noted, were settled by the Supreme Court in April 2025″.

According to the commission, the Supreme Court in Appeal No. SC/CV/56/2025 (Usman v. Labour Party) “unequivocally held that the tenure of the Barr. Julius Abure-led National Executive Committee had expired.”

INEC added that despite the judgment, “the Abure-led faction purportedly conducted primaries for the August 16, 2025, bye-election nationwide and the FCT Area Council Election.”

The commission further recalled that the Abure-led faction had earlier challenged its exclusion from the August 2025 bye-election at the Federal High Court, Abuja, but the suit was dismissed.

It said judgment delivered on August 15, 2025, “enforced the Supreme Court’s position that Barr. Julius Abure was no longer recognised as the National Chairman of the Labour Party and thus upheld the decision of INEC to exclude the Labour Party from the bye-election.”

INEC disclosed that the party subsequently filed several suits in different courts, all seeking orders to compel the commission to issue access codes for the FCT Area Council election.

These include cases at the Nasarawa State High Court, the Federal High Court in Abuja, and two divisions of the FCT High Court.