…Vows to Resist  Destabilisation of Rivers

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has come out strongly against the ongoing impeachment moves targeting Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, warning that the plot poses a grave threat to political stability and democratic governance in the state.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the party’s state spokesperson, Darlington Nwauju, described the impeachment process as an “unfortunate and dangerous development,” arguing that it is driven by unresolved internal crises within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), now being exported into the APC-controlled government.

While affirming that the Rivers State House of Assembly has constitutional powers to exercise oversight and checks on the executive, Nwauju insisted that impeachment should not be weaponised for political vendettas, stressing that the current circumstances do not justify such an extreme measure.

He noted that the impeachment threat appears largely anchored on budgetary issues, recalling that a ₦1.485 trillion one-year budget was lawfully approved for Rivers State in 2025 during the period of emergency rule. According to him, the budget was transmitted by the President in May 2025, approved by the Senate on June 25, and subsequently passed by the House of Representatives on July 22, 2025.

Nwauju explained that the budget remains in force until August 2026, adding that Governor Fubara is under no constitutional obligation to present a supplementary budget if the existing provisions are deemed sufficient. He further pointed out that the constitution allows for continued spending for up to six months into a new fiscal year.

The APC spokesperson urged members of the State House of Assembly, particularly lawmakers elected on the platform of the party, to resist what he described as external and self-serving pressures aimed at destabilising the Fubara administration.

“Our party will not fold its arms and watch an APC government in Rivers State be undermined through fratricidal political battles and contrived crises,” Nwauju declared, calling for the immediate suspension of the impeachment process.

He warned that proceeding with the impeachment would not only damage the image of the APC but also derail governance and development efforts in the oil-rich state, which has endured repeated political upheavals in recent years.

Nwauju concluded by calling for the entrenchment of genuine democratic practices in Rivers State, cautioning against reducing governance to what he termed “politicocracy,” where power struggles override the collective interest of the people.