…Lawmakers Go Silent Amid Appeals For Restraint and Rising Political Pressure
By Emmanuel Olugua in Port- Harcourt
Fresh confusion has engulfed the impeachment move against Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, as the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) failed to reconvene on Thursday, January 15, 2026, despite earlier indications that lawmakers would resume sitting to advance the process.
The House, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, had during its first sitting of the year last Thursday formally initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, over allegations of gross misconduct. These included claims of unauthorized expenditure and the demolition of the Assembly complex. The sitting was adjourned with a clear indication that plenary would resume a week later.
However, as of midday on Thursday, there was no sign of legislative activity at the Assembly’s temporary sitting venue — the conference hall of its legislative quarters along Aba Road, Port Harcourt. The premises remained quiet, with no official explanation for the failure to sit and no fresh date announced for resumption.
The unexpected silence has thrown the impeachment bid into uncertainty, especially as Thursday’s sitting was widely seen as pivotal. Lawmakers were expected to debate the allegations against the governor, determine whether to proceed formally with the process, and possibly invoke Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution by requesting the Chief Judge of Rivers State to constitute a seven-man investigative panel.
Instead, the failure of the House to sit has fueled speculation that the impeachment process could be losing steam. Political sources familiar with developments in the Assembly told KTH Daily that internal divisions and mounting external pressure may be impacting the process.
At least four lawmakers have withdrawn their support for the impeachment, amid lingering uncertainty over whether Governor Fubara has been formally served with the impeachment notice, a mandatory constitutional step without which the process cannot legally proceed.
“The situation is no longer as straightforward as it first appeared,” one source said. “There is uncertainty within the House, and there is pressure coming from outside.”
That pressure, insiders say, has intensified following stiff resistance from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, civil society organisations, traditional rulers, political stakeholders and segments of the Rivers political class, many of whom have warned that impeaching Fubara could further destabilise the state.
Adding to the complexity are growing indications of high-level political interventions. There are speculations within political circles that concerns over the national implications of another high-profile impeachment crisis may have triggered quiet efforts to slow or halt the process, particularly as the country edges closer to the 2027 general elections.
The uncertainty deepened further this week as more lawmakers openly appealed for restraint. On Wednesday, Barile Nwakoh, Deputy Minority Leader representing Khana Constituency I, and Emilia Amadi of Obio/Akpor Constituency II, urged their colleagues to suspend the impeachment proceedings against both the governor and his deputy.
Their appeal followed similar calls earlier in the week by Sylvanus Nwankwo, Minority Leader and representative of Omuma Constituency, and Peter Abbey of Degema Constituency, who asked the House to “temper justice with mercy” and seek an amicable resolution.
“We are begging our colleagues to reconsider this step and explore how this matter can be resolved peacefully,” Nwankwo said, acknowledging alleged constitutional infractions but warning against the wider consequences of removal proceedings.
The impeachment move, which was launched last Thursday after Major Jack, leader of the Assembly, read allegations of gross misconduct reportedly endorsed by 26 lawmakers, has further heightened tensions in a state already grappling with deep executive-legislative rifts.
Those tensions are widely linked to the ongoing political struggle between Governor Fubara and forces loyal to Nyesom Wike, whose supporters dominate the Assembly and have openly opposed Fubara’s re-election bid, accusing him of breaching a political understanding reached before the lifting of emergency rule in the state.
For now, the failure of the Rivers State House of Assembly to sit has only amplified uncertainty around the fate of the impeachment process — leaving residents, political actors and party leaders anxiously watching whether the move has merely stalled or is quietly being dismantled under the weight of internal dissent and political pressure.