Rivers Assembly Fails to Resume Following Impeachment Notice Against Fubara

On Thursday, the House of Assembly in Rivers State did not resume its session, one week after it had adjourned a meeting where impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu were started, leading to fresh concerns regarding the impeachment process.

Reports indicate that the Assembly's conference hall situated within the legislative quarters along Aba Road, where lawmakers are currently convening following the demolition of the main chamber, exhibited no activities on January 15.

There was no official clarification provided for the lack of a session resumption, nor was a new date for the proceedings announced.

During its first meeting of 2026 last week, the House had initiated impeachment procedures against the governor and his deputy, citing alleged gross misconduct, which included the destruction of the Assembly complex and the appropriation of state funds without legislative consent. The session was adjourned to January 15; however, lawmakers did not show up as anticipated, resulting in ambiguity about the impeachment process's future.

The delay in proceedings occurs in the midst of an ongoing power struggle between the executive branch and the legislative body in the resource-rich state. This conflict is primarily based on the rift between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who now serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Their discord has consistently hampered governance in Rivers State and has led to the division of the House into opposing factions. This marks the third effort to impeach Governor Fubara within a span of less than three years.

Four out of the 26 lawmakers who initially supported the impeachment notice have since retracted their backing, now advocating for a peaceful resolution to the political turmoil. Observers view this withdrawal as an early signal of disunity within what used to be a coherent political front that was aligned with the former governor.

Governor Fubara’s recent shift to the All Progressives Congress has further altered the political dynamics in the state. Analysts suggest that this transition may have fortified his position and provided a form of political safeguard that was lacking during previous confrontations with the Assembly while he was still part of the Peoples Democratic Party.