The political turmoil in Rivers State has taken a new turn with a prominent activist suggesting that the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara might now be a preferable course of action. This comes as a Rivers State High Court moved to temporarily halt the impeachment process initiated by the state House of Assembly.
Activist Launches Scathing Critique Against Fubara
Richard Akinnola, a journalist and the executive director of the Centre for Free Speech, launched a fierce criticism of Governor Fubara on Friday, January 16, 2026. In a post on his Facebook page, Akinnola described the governor as a "lame duck" and a "weakling."
Akinnola argued that Fubara failed to learn any lessons during the six-month political hiatus enforced by the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu in March 2025. That emergency rule had led to the suspension of Fubara, his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the state assembly.
"You are sitting there like a handcuffed person, waiting for Tinubu to come and save you," Akinnola wrote. "See how they are tossing you up and down like a primary school boy. Perhaps, it would even be a better option to impeach him." He concluded by expressing pity for the people of Rivers State, who have endured negative news from the state for the past two years.
Court Intervenes with Interim Injunction
In a significant legal development also on Friday, January 16, a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt issued an interim injunction to stop the state assembly from proceeding with its impeachment plans against Governor Fubara and Deputy Governor Odu.
Justice F. A. Fiberesima granted the order while hearing motions ex parte in two separate suits filed by the governor and his deputy. The suits were marked OYHC/7/CS/2026 and OYHC/6/CS/2026.
The court specifically restrained the Speaker of the Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, the clerk of the House, the chief judge, and 30 others from taking any further steps in the impeachment process. This includes barring them from sending any correspondence regarding impeachment to the Chief Judge of the state, Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi.
Mounting Pressure and Broader Political Context
The call for impeachment and the subsequent court order occur within a complex and ongoing political crisis in Rivers State. The conflict has deep roots in the rivalry between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Earlier, a former National Assembly member, Senator Olaka Nwogu, added to the governor's woes. Nwogu claimed that agreements brokered with Minister Wike to resolve the crisis "were flouted by the governor at one time or another," questioning Fubara's integrity.
This latest chapter underscores the intense and unresolved power struggle that continues to define governance in Rivers State, with legal, legislative, and public opinion battles all playing out simultaneously.
