By Jide Dominic, Yenagoa
The apex Ijaw socio-cultural body, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) has condemned in strong terms the impeachment threat against the Rivers State Governor, Similanayi Fubara by the state House of Assembly.
A statement signed by the National President of INC, Prof. Benjamin Okaba and circulated on social media in Yenagoa noted that the resumption of impeachment proceedings is a threat to democracy, peace and stability of not only Rivers State but the Niger Delta region as a whole.
According to the statement, the move was the third time of attempting an impeachment since 2023 when Governor Fubara assumed office, revealing that it is a “relentless circle of political vendetta that must be broken.”
It noted that INC stands firmly with the Rivers people and the impeachment crisis is not merely an Ijaw issue but a “fundamental threat to Nigeria’s nascent democracy,” adding that the allegations presented by the state’s House of Assembly, including matters of budgetary spending and appointments are purely governance issues that can be resolved within the framework of law and due process and not through the “weapons of impeachment.”
The body also noted that the impeachment threat was a fall out of the collapse of the peace deal brokered by President Bola Tinubu in June, 2025 which was aimed at resolving the protacted feud between the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike and Governor Fubara.
It equally maintained that INC’s stance on the matter is anchored on the proclamations credited to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to drop the impeachment saga, calling on President Tinubu to, as a matter of utmost concern, act decisively as the father of the nation by upholding constitutional order in Rivers State and stop the impeachment move against Gov. Fubara.
The INC also called on President Tinubu to safequard the federal allocation accruable to the state, stressing that any attempt by federal institutions to withhold statutory allocation to the state will be viewed as unconstitutional and an undue economic sanction against the Rivers people and the Ijaw nation.
The apex Ijaw body urged all Ijaw people and other residents of the state to remain peaceful, law abiding and resolute, prompting them to always stand for democratic principles by channelling their energies into peaceful and civic engagements, support lawful advocacy and defend democratic tenents in their domain.
