RIVERS CRISIS: FUBARA IMPEACHMENT PLOT SHOWS TINUBU CAN’T PROTECT APC GOVS – RUFAI OSENI
Political tensions in Rivers State escalated yesterday as prominent commentator Rufai Oseni claimed that the ongoing impeachment plot against Governor Siminalayi Fubara exposed the inability of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to protect governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Arise Television, Oseni said the crisis in Rivers highlighted a deep weakness in the Federal Government’s capacity to defend its own party governors, especially when faced with internal party hostility and legislative threats.
“The impeachment plot against Governor Fubara shows clearly that APC governors cannot rely on the President for protection when political and legislative forces turn against them,” Oseni said.
The impeachment effort, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule of the Rivers State House of Assembly, centres on allegations that the governor failed to lay the 2026 Appropriation Bill before the House. Critics, however, described the move as politically motivated, noting that some lawmakers involved had defected from the PDP to APC just days before Fubara’s own defection.
Supporters of the governor, including former presidential aide Denge Josef Onoh, have called on the APC leadership to suspend lawmakers involved in the plot to safeguard democratic processes and prevent further destabilisation in the state.
Observers note that this is not the first impeachment threat against Fubara since he assumed office in 2023. The ongoing crisis reflects long-standing tensions between rival political blocs within Rivers State, particularly between the governor and influential figures aligned with former political mentors.
Groups such as the Ijaw National Congress (INC) have also urged the APC to defend Fubara’s mandate, warning that a successful impeachment would undermine the will of the people in the Niger Delta.
As Rivers State faces this political turmoil, questions continue over the ability of the APC national leadership to maintain party cohesion and protect its elected governors from internal power struggles. The party has yet to issue an official response to Oseni’s remarks or clarify its stance on the impeachment threat.