A former South‑East spokesman to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to suspend all APC lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly accused of plotting to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu. The call was made in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.
Political tensions in Rivers State have risen as lawmakers in the state assembly renewed efforts to move against Governor Fubara and Deputy Governor Odu. The impeachment attempt reportedly centres on allegations of gross misconduct including non‑presentation of the 2026 budget.
Mr Josef Onoh, who also chairs the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, said in the statement that the impeachment effort is a “legislative rascality” and a “calculated, self‑serving coup against constitutional order and democratic governance.” He described the situation as prioritising personal ambition over proper governance.
Onoh noted that the impeachment move is reportedly the third attempt to remove Governor Fubara since 2023 and said it grew after several lawmakers defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC on December 5, 2025, just before the governor’s own defection to the party.
He said the simultaneous targeting of the governor and his deputy suggests an agenda to gain power “through the back door.”
Onoh reminded the public that no governor in Rivers State has been successfully impeached in the Fourth Republic. He referenced past impeachment attempts, including actions against former Governor Rotimi Amaechi in 2013 that failed due to legal and public resistance.
He drew on his legislative experience to say the current events resemble past failed power struggles in Nigeria’s legislatures. “These attempts have always collapsed under the weight of the law and democratic institutions. Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it,” he said.
Onoh warned that the impeachment threat could undermine democratic institutions, reduce public trust, and destabilise Rivers State, affecting both economic activity and security in the Niger Delta. He said APC should not tolerate what he described as politically motivated attempts to remove an APC governor.
He accused defecting lawmakers of bringing divisive politics from their former party into the APC, harming the party’s unity and credibility.
Onoh urged the national leadership of the APC to suspend the Rivers State lawmakers involved or supporting the impeachment attempt. He said lawmakers who defied party discipline should return to the PDP instead of dragging the APC into disrepute.
He added that the APC should activate internal disciplinary measures provided in its constitution to protect democratic mandates and prevent what he called dangerous legislative overreach.
The APC national leadership is yet to publicly respond to Onoh’s call for suspension. The impeachment process in Rivers State remains a key political issue as stakeholders debate legal and constitutional boundaries.
