•As PANDEF moves to broker peace
Chidinma Iroegbu
Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has not been formally served with the impeachment notice issued against him by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, despite growing speculation surrounding the process.
A senior government source disclosed that the governor has been largely out of the state in recent days. According to the source, Governor Fubara returned from an official trip to Europe on Saturday night and travelled to Abuja shortly after participating in the Armed Forces Remembrance Day activities on Sunday. The source firmly dismissed reports claiming that the governor had already received the impeachment notice, describing such claims as false and misleading.
The impeachment move was initiated last Thursday by 26 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who accused the governor and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, of alleged gross misconduct. The development has since heightened political tensions in the state, sparking widespread reactions from regional leaders, civil society groups and political stakeholders.
In a bid to prevent a full-blown political crisis, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has constituted a seven-member peace and reconciliation committee to mediate between the executive and the legislature. The committee is chaired by former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN.
PANDEF has mandated the committee to engage all relevant stakeholders within two weeks and come up with practical recommendations aimed at de-escalating tensions, restoring political stability and safeguarding effective governance in Rivers State.
Adding to calls for restraint, two members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have publicly appealed to their colleagues to suspend the impeachment process and explore dialogue and other constitutional means of resolving the impasse.
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has also voiced strong concerns over the impeachment effort, warning that it could destabilise Rivers State and undermine fragile peace initiatives across the region.
Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has advised the Rivers State House of Assembly to halt the impeachment proceedings and consult with the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) before taking further action.
In a related political development, the North-Central APC Forum has rejected calls for the resignation of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. The group urged critics to allow the minister to remain focused on delivering developmental projects in the FCT rather than being drawn into political distractions.
As tensions continue to rise, many observers believe the coming days will be crucial in determining whether Rivers State moves towards reconciliation or deeper political uncertainty.