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From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and over 75 civil society organisations under the Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations (CNCSOs) have slammed the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, describing it as a calculated plot to use the State House of Assembly as a weapon against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Chairman of the CNCSOs Elders Forum, Baba Abubakar El-Nafaty, said the impeachment threats against the governor were driven by political and financial interests, not by any constitutional violation.
According to him, Governor Fubara has committed no gross misconduct as required under Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution, warning that allowing the Rivers scenario to continue could turn state assemblies across the country into tools for elite power struggles.
El-Nafaty described the development as a dangerous precedent that could undermine democracy and federalism if not urgently addressed.
The coalition also alleged that a serving Minister imposed conditions on Governor Fubara, including the ratification of a list of commissioners, as a bargain to stop the impeachment process.
Raising serious financial concerns, the groups queried the handling of ₦254.37 billion received by Rivers State from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) during the six-month emergency rule under Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), between March and August 2025.
They disclosed that Rivers State received ₦44.66 billion in March, ₦44.42 billion in April, and up to ₦41.76 billion in August, with an average monthly allocation of ₦42.40 billion.
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CNPP and CNCSOs further alleged that lawmakers loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike were paid up to ₦350 million each from over ₦360 billion in leftover funds, dismissing a later probe by the House of Assembly as “cosmetic and deceptive.”
The coalition described the crisis as a national threat, urging President Bola Tinubu, in his capacity as leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to intervene decisively.
They listed eight demands, including an immediate halt to impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara, an independent investigation into the role of the Rivers State House of Assembly, a presidential probe into the Minister’s alleged conditions, and a forensic audit of emergency rule finances and FAAC allocations.
Other demands include recognition of Fubara as APC leader in Rivers State, high-level mediation to restore constitutional order, and safeguards to prevent the weaponisation of state legislatures nationwide.
Describing the situation as a “democratic emergency,” the groups warned that “impeachment without just cause is nothing but political banditry.”
They insisted that Governor Fubara should be allowed to govern without intimidation, stressing that Rivers State needs stability and development following its six-month emergency rule and the governor’s defection to the APC.
