Rivers Lawmakers Accuse Governor Fubara of Plotting Their Recall Instead of Pursuing Peace

 

In the escalating political crisis rocking Rivers State, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of orchestrating efforts to have their constituents recall them from office, rather than engaging in genuine dialogue for resolution.

The allegation surfaced during a press briefing at the Assembly’s temporary legislative quarters along Aba Road, Port Harcourt, on Friday, January 16, 2026. Lawmaker Looloo Opuende, representing Akuku-Toru Constituency II, claimed that while some stakeholders and lawmakers were pushing for a political solution amid ongoing impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, Fubara was allegedly working behind the scenes.

“While stakeholders and some lawmakers were making efforts to find a political solution to the crisis, the governor was working behind the scenes to induce their constituents to initiate their recall from the House,” Opuende stated. “Fubara was allegedly paying constituents to withdraw their representatives. Is that the right thing to do?”

The lawmakers argued that if the governor truly desired peace, he should have engaged the Assembly leadership directly to chart a way forward, instead of what they described as subversive actions.

This claim comes against the backdrop of dramatic shifts in the impeachment saga. On January 8, 2026, 27 lawmakers — mostly loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike — initiated impeachment proceedings against Fubara over allegations of gross misconduct, including unconstitutional spending and defiance of court orders. Four lawmakers initially withdrew support earlier in January, calling for dialogue, but reversed their stance on January 16, reaffirming commitment to the process after accusing Fubara of showing no remorse and continuing attacks via media aides.

The Assembly unanimously voted to proceed, forwarding a letter to the Chief Judge to constitute a seven-man investigative panel. However, a Rivers State High Court in Oyigbo issued an interim injunction on the same day, restraining the Chief Judge from acting on the Assembly's request, pending further hearing.

The crisis, rooted in the long-standing feud between Fubara and Wike (now FCT Minister), has seen multiple interventions, including a 2025 Supreme Court judgment urging peaceful coexistence and a peace deal brokered by President Bola Tinubu. Meanwhile, pro-Fubara groups, including the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP), have initiated recall processes against 26 lawmakers involved in the impeachment move, requesting voters' registers from INEC.

Experts note that recalls in Nigeria remain challenging due to procedural hurdles and flawed voters' registers, as highlighted by activist Aisha Yesufu, who criticized the Assembly for prioritizing factional interests over governance.

This latest accusation of a "recall plot" by Fubara intensifies the blame game, with both sides accusing the other of undermining democracy in oil-rich Rivers State.