Fubara Restates “Barking Dogs” Comments, Says Power Comes From God

…Gov urges calm as Impeachment Moves Deepen Rivers Crisis

By Franklin Adole
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has reiterated his controversial “barking dogs” comment amid renewed impeachment moves against him, declaring that his authority derives from God and not from political forces.

Speaking on Sunday at a church service held at St. Cyprian’s Anglican Church, Port Harcourt, to mark the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, the governor urged residents of Rivers State to remain calm and peaceful, assuring them that the ongoing political tension would not degenerate into violence.

The governor, who was making his first public appearance since the latest impeachment steps were initiated by the State House of Assembly, said his silence in the face of mounting political pressure was deliberate and rooted in his faith.

“I know that I have what is supreme, and that is God. So I want everyone to relax,” Fubara said. “What is important is peace for this dear state, and we will get it in the special name of God.”

Addressing comments he made days earlier that sparked political reactions, the governor stood by his remarks, saying they were misunderstood.

“I said something that dogs bark when they do not understand,” he said. “Now, see, a lot of you don’t understand, and that’s the reason why I don’t shout, I don’t complain. I know what I have. I know who is supreme, and that is God.”

Governor Fubara explained that he chose not to engage publicly with political attacks because distractions, in his view, weaken leadership focus.

“I decided to remain quiet because I believe strongly in God, and I don’t allow distractions to control my actions,” he added.

The Rivers State House of Assembly had on Thursday commenced impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, over allegations of gross misconduct.

Despite the renewed pressure, the governor assured residents that the state would remain stable.

“Everything will be fine in Rivers State,” he said, urging citizens to continue their daily activities without fear.

The latest impeachment move is the third against Governor Fubara since 2023, arising from a prolonged political feud between him and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

An initial impeachment attempt in October 2023 was halted following President Bola Tinubu’s intervention at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. A subsequent peace agreement led to the formal withdrawal of impeachment notices in December 2023, but the truce later collapsed.

In March 2025, lawmakers again initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy, a development that coincided with President Tinubu’s declaration of a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025. The emergency rule saw the suspension of all elected officials in the state.

Governor Fubara returned to office in September 2025 after the emergency rule was lifted, following another peace deal brokered in June by the president. That agreement has since broken down, with Wike accusing the governor of breaching its terms.

Amid the deepening crisis, Fubara recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a move widely interpreted as an attempt to secure political backing within the ruling party.