The political crisis in Rivers State has taken a new turn, with the South-South caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) directly linking the impeachment threat against Governor Siminalayi Fubara to a dispute over the state's 2026 budget proposal.
Budget Refusal Sparks Constitutional Clash
Speaking to journalists in Port Harcourt on Friday, January 9, 2026, the group's coordinator, Comrade Freedom Amadi, presented a fresh perspective on the escalating tensions. He alleged that the impeachment proceedings initiated by the Rivers State House of Assembly followed Governor Fubara's refusal to approve certain budgetary items which the APC caucus described as "questionable."
This claim directly challenges the Assembly's position, which maintains that its actions are based purely on constitutional responsibilities and accuses the governor of acting in bad faith. Some lawmakers have even stated that external interventions, including presidential mediation, cannot prevent them from carrying out their legislative duties.
Presidential Peace Accord Under Strain
The APC South-South group specifically addressed the role of the peace agreement previously brokered by President Bola Tinubu. Amadi argued that the current conflict should not be seen as a breakdown of that accord. Instead, he framed it as a resistance by the governor to pressure over specific budgetary provisions.
The group issued a stern warning against public statements suggesting that presidential mediation could be disregarded, stating that such rhetoric risks deepening political instability in the oil-rich state. They emphasized that President Tinubu's intervention was aimed at restoring calm and enabling governance, not escalating confrontation between different arms of government.
"We believe the agreement reached under the President’s mediation was intended to promote cooperation and constitutional order," Amadi stated. "Any attempt to interpret the agreement as justification for impeachment would completely undermine its core purpose."
Broader Political Rivalry and a Call for Restraint
The caucus also placed the immediate budget dispute within the wider context of Rivers State's intense political rivalry. They pointed to the influence of the former governor and current Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, claiming that lawmakers backing the impeachment process are politically aligned with him.
While offering no independent evidence for this assertion, the group questioned Minister Wike's continued silence on the matter. They suggested that this silence could be interpreted as inconsistent with the spirit of national unity that informed his appointment to the federal cabinet.
The APC South-South concluded with a grave warning about the long-term institutional damage. They cautioned that using impeachment as a political tool could severely weaken public confidence in democratic institutions and erode the legislature's credibility. The group called on the Rivers State House of Assembly to suspend the impeachment proceedings and urged the National Assembly to closely monitor the deteriorating situation.
At the time of this report, neither the Rivers State Government nor the State House of Assembly had issued fresh responses to these latest allegations from the APC South-South caucus.
