Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have renewed calls on the National Assembly to take over the legislative functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly, arguing that such an intervention has become necessary to save Governor Siminalayi Fubara from what they describe as a politically motivated impeachment plot and a looming constitutional collapse in the state.
The APC leaders, operating under the APC Leaders Forum and backed by some civil society organisations, insist that the crisis in Rivers State has gone beyond partisan disagreement and now threatens democratic governance. According to them, the continued existence of a divided and hostile House of Assembly poses an existential danger to the Fubara administration and to constitutional order itself.
At the centre of the crisis is the protracted power struggle between Governor Fubara and a majority bloc of lawmakers loyal to his predecessor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. The lawmakers, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, have repeatedly pushed impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, alleging gross misconduct.
APC leaders argue that the impeachment drive is less about accountability and more about forcing Governor Fubara out of office through legislative coercion. They contend that the Assembly has been transformed into a tool of political vendetta, making effective governance impossible and placing the governor under constant siege.
In their appeal to the National Assembly, the APC leaders cited Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers the federal legislature to assume the functions of a state assembly where it is unable to operate effectively. They maintain that Rivers State clearly fits this description, given the persistent paralysis, legal battles, and breakdown of trust between the executive and the legislature.
According to the group, federal intervention is now the only viable option to shield the governor from an impeachment process they describe as unconstitutional, destabilising and capable of plunging the state into prolonged unrest. They argue that allowing the Rivers Assembly to continue in its current form amounts to abandoning the governor to a coordinated political onslaught.
The APC leaders also pointed to recent judicial developments as evidence that the impeachment process lacks legal footing. The refusal of the Rivers State Chief Judge to constitute a probe panel, due to subsisting court orders, was described as a clear signal that due process is being abused. They insist that the Assembly’s persistence despite court interventions underscores its unwillingness to respect the rule of law.
Civil society groups supporting the call echoed the view that Governor Fubara is being deliberately cornered to weaken his authority and frustrate governance. They argue that a temporary takeover of legislative functions by the National Assembly would calm tensions, halt the impeachment process, and create space for political reconciliation.
Critics of the proposed takeover have warned that such a move could be controversial and constitutionally sensitive. However, APC leaders counter that the greater danger lies in allowing a dysfunctional Assembly to continue operating unchecked while the state drifts deeper into crisis. In their view, the intervention would not be punitive but corrective, aimed at saving democratic institutions and the elected governor from being overrun by factional politics.
As the standoff drags on, Rivers State remains politically tense, with governance increasingly overshadowed by impeachment threats and court cases. For the APC leaders, the choice before the National Assembly is stark: intervene now to save Governor Fubara and stabilise Rivers State, or risk watching one of Nigeria’s most strategic states slide further into constitutional chaos.
Abuja Network News
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