Tensions have escalated in Rivers State as prominent Ijaw groups, including the Ijaw National Congress and the Ijaw Youths Council, have issued a strong warning against any attempt to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The groups argue that such a move would destabilize the region and potentially disrupt oil production in the Niger Delta.
The warning comes as the 48-hour ultimatum issued by the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, for Governor Fubara to resubmit the 2025 budget expires today, Wednesday.
This demand follows a Supreme Court ruling on February 28, 2025, which reaffirmed the legitimacy of the state lawmakers and deepened the ongoing power struggle between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the Federal Capital Territory Minister.
The Supreme Court ruling also ordered the seizure of Rivers State’s allocations and nullified the local government elections conducted on October 5, 2024, by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
In response to the ruling, the state Assembly instructed Fubara to present the budget within two days or face legislative consequences.
Amid growing uncertainty, the INC and IYC have vowed to resist any moves to impeach Fubara. INC President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, condemned the impeachment threats, asserting that the Ijaw people would not tolerate any undermining of their first riverine governor in decades. Okaba also criticized the Supreme Court ruling, arguing that it overlooked the historical contributions of the Ijaw people in Rivers politics.
“If Governor Fubara’s tenure is truncated by the Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly or anybody else, the INC cannot guarantee the sustenance of the current peace in the Niger Delta, nor the continued rise in oil production,” Okaba warned. He further recalled the significant roles Ijaw leaders had played in political transitions in the state, lamenting that a political elite from the Ikwerre ethnic group seemed determined to frustrate Fubara’s administration.
“The Ijaw nation will defend Fubara with every pint of blood in their veins,” Okaba declared.
The Ijaw Youth Council also expressed strong opposition to the attempts to exploit the Supreme Court ruling for political instability. Dr. Theophilus Alaye, IYC President Worldwide, criticized the Court’s decision, particularly the nullification of the local government elections. He called the ruling “provocative and laughable,” arguing that other states had relied on the 2023 INEC voters’ register for their elections.
“We found the Supreme Court nullification of the Rivers State local government elections very provocative and laughable, as other states equally relied on the 2023 INEC voters register to conduct local government elections,” Alaye stated.
Alaye accused Nyesom Wike of manipulating the judiciary to create chaos in the state. “The verdict has confirmed our suspicion that the frequent boast of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, that a tsunami will soon rock Rivers State shows that the apex court is working hand in glove with him to destroy the state,” he claimed.
The IYC further warned that depriving Rivers State of its statutory allocations could lead to economic instability, not only affecting the region but also impacting national revenue from crude oil production. “If Rivers State is starved of its economic rights because of one who wants to monopolize Rivers State’s economy, we will also starve the economy of Nigeria,” the IYC warned.
Amid these escalating tensions, security agencies have taken a cautious approach. The spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, declined to comment on potential unrest, referring inquiries to the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, who was unavailable for comment. Similarly, the Nigerian Navy’s spokesperson, Cmdr A. Adams-Aliu, dismissed concerns about potential attacks on oil facilities, stating, “All of the above is speculation. The Nigerian Navy will always continue to discharge its constitutional responsibilities.”
The Nigerian Army, represented by Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Public Relations, Lt. Col. Jonah Danjuma, categorized the situation as a political matter, signaling that the military would only intervene if the situation escalates into a direct security threat.
