Impeachment notice against Fubara lacks constitutional weight – Rivers elders

The Rivers Elders and Leadership Forum says the impeachment notice issued against Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, and Ngozi Ordu, his deputy, lacks constitutional weight.

In a statement on Friday, signed by G.T.G. Toby, former deputy governor of Rivers and acting chairman of the forum, the group described the impeachment move by the Rivers state house of assembly as “deeply concerning.”

The elders said impeachment is a serious constitutional process and should not be used as a tool for political vendettas or personal interests.

According to the elders, the reasons advanced so far for the impeachment are weak, and fail to address genuine public concerns.

“The mandate of the governor was freely given by the people of Rivers state and can only be questioned in strict compliance with constitutional provisions, due process, and on the basis of clear, compelling, and verifiable grounds,” the statement reads.

The forum warned that the impeachment process could deepen political divisions, erode public trust in democratic institutions, and destabilise the state, which is yet to fully recover from the disruptions of recent emergency rule.

The elders called on the Rivers assembly to reverse its decision and prioritise peace, stability, and the collective interest of the state.

They urged all stakeholders to allow wise counsel to prevail, so Rivers state can heal and move forward.

“The Rivers Elders and Leadership Forum remains firmly committed to peace, unity, justice, and constitutional democracy in Rivers state,” the statement reads.

The political crisis in Rivers state has reignited following a longstanding power struggle between Fubara and Nyesom Wike, his predecessor and minister of the federal capital territory.

The dispute which centred on control of the state’s political machinery and key appointments, has repeatedly disrupted governance in the oil-rich state.

Impeachment threats from a state assembly widely perceived to be loyal to Wike first surfaced in 2023 and resurfaced in 2025, prompting President Bola Tinubu to intervene and declare a six-month state of emergency, suspending both the legislature and the executive.

The emergency rule, which ended in September 2025 with Fubara’s reinstatement, was intended to restore political stability, but the recent breakdown of the peace agreement has triggered fresh impeachment proceedings and deepened divisions in the state.

(The CableH