Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
LAGOS, NIGERIA — An influential faction within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Progressive Mandate Group, has called for an immediate halt to the impeachment proceedings against Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy, Ngozi Odu, characterising the process as unconstitutional, politically motivated and a threat to peace in the oil-rich southern state. The group’s declaration adds momentum to escalating political tensions as the Rivers State House of Assembly pursues a high-stakes constitutional action that has drawn national attention.
In a statement released on Thursday, the APC Progressive Mandate Group — led by its national coordinator Comrade Ayodele Alonge — warned that the impeachment moves currently before the Rivers State legislature lack proper legal foundation and could destabilise the state if they proceed. The group described the impeachment as a violation of due process and an affront to a peace agreement personally brokered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resolve lingering political rifts in Rivers State.
“The ongoing impeachment proceedings are fundamentally flawed and lack the constitutional and procedural grounding required for such a serious action,” the group said, urging authorities to immediately suspend the process before it inflicts further damage on governance and public trust.
The Progressive Mandate Group characterised the impeachment effort as politically driven rather than rooted in legitimate allegations, warning that it runs counter to the reconciliation framework that helped ease tensions among key political actors in the state. Last year, President Tinubu intervened to broker a peace accord involving Governor Fubara, former Governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, and lawmakers, aimed at resolving deep-seated disputes that had previously paralysed governance in Rivers State.
According to the group, reopening hostilities now undermines that accord and challenges the authority of the President, who it said had invested significant political capital in averting wider conflict. It also argued that the impeachment notices emanate from a “faulty legal line,” noting that some of the allegations hinge on budgetary issues tied to the state’s finances during a period of emergency rule when the federal government and National Assembly had taken a leading role in fiscal authorisation.
Governor Fubara and Deputy Governor Odu are facing impeachment proceedings over alleged gross misconduct, including claims of extra-budgetary spending, demolition of part of the State Assembly complex, withholding funds due to the Assembly Service Commission, and failure to comply with a court ruling on legislative autonomy. While the Assembly argues that these charges justify the constitutional process, the APC group says they fail to meet the threshold for removal from office and have been pursued with political intent.
The position taken by the Progressive Mandate Group dovetails with broader pushback from segments of the national and state APC leadership. The Rivers State chapter of the APC has publicly rejected the impeachment move, calling it destabilising and unnecessary, and warning lawmakers — including those from their own party — against actions that could inflame political discord.
Other civil society actors and community groups have also expressed concern over the impeachment initiative, describing it as reckless and a potential threat to political stability. These voices include advocacy organisations and youth councils who say that the process could deepen divisions and hinder development in the state unless mediated through dialogue and constitutional means.
The APC Progressive Mandate Group went further, calling on the National Assembly to intervene to uphold constitutional order and prevent further deterioration of the political climate in Rivers State. It suggested that inaction by federal lawmakers could set a dangerous precedent wherein legislative impeachments are weaponised for factional gains, undermining democratic processes and the rule of law.
Governor Fubara’s recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in December 2025 has reshaped political dynamics in the state, bolstering the ruling party’s presence and prompting a wave of high-profile defections, including former PDP national chairman Uche Secondus and ex-Governor Peter Odili. Supporters of the governor say these developments reflect confidence in his leadership and reinforce the argument against impeachment as politically motivated.
Critics of the impeachment effort, including the APC group, argue that revisiting political hostilities could erode recent gains in unity and peaceful governance. They maintain that disputes over budgetary implementation and alleged misconduct should be resolved through constitutional dialogue and established legal channels rather than confrontational impeachment strategies.
The Rivers State House of Assembly, however, has insisted that the impeachment process will continue, asserting its constitutional mandate to hold public officials accountable. Lawmakers involved in initiating the proceedings have denied that political motives are driving the action and maintain that they are acting within the parameters of the law to address alleged abuses of office.
As both sides stake out their positions, Nigeria’s political landscape appears poised for further contestation over the legitimacy and consequences of the impeachment push. Observers warn that the outcome could have broader implications for state-federal relations, party cohesion within the APC, and confidence in democratic institutions across the country.
The coming weeks are expected to be critical, with stakeholders watching closely to see whether the impeachment process is halted, challenged in court, or proceeds to potentially unseat an incumbent governor and deputy. The national judiciary may also become a focal point if legal contests follow, potentially shaping how impeachment disputes are addressed in Nigeria’s evolving democratic framework.
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