SUNTV Global Channel | News
January 16, 2026
The political crisis in Rivers State has taken a fresh turn as four members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have withdrawn their earlier call for reconciliation, insisting that the impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, must continue.
The lawmakers made the announcement on Friday during a press conference in Port Harcourt, the state capital, a video of which was obtained by SUNTV Global Channel.
According to them, their initial appeal for a political solution to the standoff between the executive and the legislature was ignored by the governor and his deputy. They accused both officials of sponsoring media attacks against the House of Assembly through their aides instead of embracing dialogue.
One of the lawmakers recalled their earlier position, saying:
“On January 12, 2026, my colleague and I addressed the press and appealed to our colleagues to seek a political solution to the impasse between the Rivers State House of Assembly and the Governor. However, while that appeal was ongoing, we discovered that the Governor and the Deputy Governor had instructed their media aides to continuously attack the House of Assembly.”
He added that the perceived hostility forced them to reconsider their stance.
“Instead of pursuing the political solution we offered, they chose confrontation. On this basis, my colleague and I have resolved that the impeachment proceedings should continue,” he said.
Another lawmaker, while speaking to journalists, said the decision to press ahead with impeachment was driven by what he described as persistent constitutional violations by the governor and his deputy.
“We pleaded with our colleagues a few days ago to reconsider the impeachment process,” he said. “But as events have shown, the Governor has continued on a path of constitutional infringement. Infringement on the Constitution is a no-go. It is unacceptable.”
He stressed that the matter should not be politicised or ethnicised, describing it strictly as a constitutional issue.
“This is not about ethnicity or personal interest. This is purely a constitutional matter. There is no stopping the Governor and the Deputy Governor from breaching the Constitution, and for that reason, the process must continue,” he said.
The lawmakers maintained that their latest position was guided solely by constitutional principles, as tensions between the executive and the legislature continue to escalate, deepening the political uncertainty in Rivers State.
— SUNTV Global Channel
