Wike Backs Possible Impeachment of Rivers Governor, Says “Nothing Will Happen

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has thrown his weight behind the possible impeachment of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, asserting that any constitutional violation should warrant removal from office.

Speaking at a media chat in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike dismissed concerns that impeaching Fubara could trigger unrest, emphasizing that the process is a constitutional provision, not a criminal act.

“Politics is not a game,” Wike stated. “If you have committed an offence that warrants impeachment, what’s wrong with that? Is it a crime? It’s in the constitution.”

Rivers State has been a hotbed of political turmoil following the ongoing power struggle between Fubara and Wike, his predecessor and former political ally. The situation escalated after the Supreme Court recently upheld a ruling that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant-General of the Federation from releasing statutory allocations to the state. The court also nullified the October 2024 local government elections in Rivers.

Amid these tensions, Wike criticized Fubara’s approach to resolving the crisis, particularly his formal invitation to the factional state assembly led by Martin Amaewhule. Wike dismissed the governor’s attempt at reconciliation as ineffective, calling the letter he sent “useless.”

Adding to the pressure, Tony Okocha, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers, has called on Fubara to either step down or face impeachment proceedings. Okocha argued that the Supreme Court’s ruling has settled the political dispute, and Fubara’s invitation to the Amaewhule-led lawmakers was nothing more than a “Greek gift.”

Despite warnings that impeachment could spark unrest, Wike remains unfazed. “I have heard people say, ‘Oh, if they impeach him, there will be a breakdown of law and order.’ Rubbish! Nothing will happen,” he declared.

Wike also took aim at the legislative crisis in the state, questioning the legitimacy of laws passed by a small faction of lawmakers.

“I cannot believe that in this country, we are at a point where Nigerians are talking about three members of the House sitting to make laws, and they are thinking of going to the Supreme Court,” he said.

He further emphasized that elected legislators should not be treated as subordinates, stating, “Speakers and Assembly members are not our children; they were elected. They are not your boys or your girls.”