Politics
INC Protests Over Fubara Impeachment Plot
The Ijaw National Congress says the people of Rivers State are against the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, warning the state Assembly loyal to ex-governor, Nyesom Wike, to shelve the plan.
Similarly, the Rivers State Elders and Leaders Council strongly condemned the Martin Amaewhule-led state House of Assembly over its ongoing impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.
The groups warned that the move is likely to fail and accused the lawmakers of pursuing selfish interests under the guise of constitutional procedure.
The INC described the impeachment as an exercise in futility, criticising lawmakers, particularly those of Ijaw extraction, who publicly supported the process despite Governor Fubara being one of their own.
In a telephone interview with The PUNCH on Sunday, INC President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, said the actions of some Assembly members amounted to betrayal.
“Yes, I’m very positive that at the end of the day it will all turn out to be a futile exercise,” Okaba said. “There is public outcry against them within and outside Rivers State because it is obvious that this is a clear case of vendetta using the instrumentality of impeachment.
It is not about the growth of democracy and development; it is all about personal interest above the interest of the state.” He criticised four lawmakers who initially withdrew from the impeachment process, only to reverse their position within 48 hours, saying it reflects a lack of principles:
“Some Ijaw brothers in the House came out to say they are Ijaw people and that they support the impeachment. People have asked me, don’t you consider that Ijaw people in the House are supporting it? My answer is no. They are not speaking for Ijaw people. They have not consulted their constituents, and they lack Ijaw spirituality and consciousness.”
Okaba also condemned lawmakers’ alleged acceptance of public funds and benefits while pursuing impeachment:
“Take for instance the issue of supplementary materials. These same persons have collected vehicles worth N350 million while they were on suspension with some cases being given to all of them. That Greek gift was collected in the public domain and nobody has refuted that. All of this shows it is about self-interest.”
He accused Assembly Speaker, Amaewhule, of orchestrating the impeachment to position himself for a future governorship: “Somebody is desperate to be governor by all means and therefore orchestrating impeachment. The Speaker should be told: when your time comes, contest; not to rubbish a system to become governor from the backdoor.”
Okaba emphasised that the deputy governor, Odu, had done nothing to warrant impeachment:
“Let’s say the governor fumbled, what did the deputy governor do that you’re also including her? All these displays of selfishness will not work. It will take our democracy several years back if allowed.”
Supporting INC’s position, Anabs Sara-Igbe, a member of the Rivers State Elders and Leaders Council and pioneer spokesman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, said the impeachment was embarrassing to President Bola Tinubu and the people of Rivers State.
“It is very obvious that the Assembly members are showing ingratitude to Mr. President and also to Rivers people. They think they are fighting Sim Fubara; no, they are fighting Rivers people. All they are trying to do is to stall development in the state,” Sara-Igbe said.
Sara-Igbe further criticised lawmakers for failing to respect the emergency rule imposed in the state, which brought in federal oversight following political unrest.
He alleged the lawmakers had already benefited financially during that period:
“If they can do something that made a stranger come and lavish our resources for six months and that is not enough, they still want to impeach the governor. Let them go ahead. But they should realise they are not fighting Sim; they are fighting Rivers people, and Rivers State will react appropriately.”
He also took aim at Minister Nyesom Wike for engaging in early political campaigning under the guise of ‘thank you’ visits, describing it as disrespectful to the President and the state:
“They said they have an agreement. I challenge them to publish the agreement they have that Sim refused to implement. If the agreement is in the interest of the state, let them publish it. Rivers people, as far as we are concerned, Sim is going for a second tenure whether they like it or not.”
Sara-Igbe warned that the impeachment could destabilize the state, region, and country if continued:
“The impeachment will hit the rocks. The process takes a long way, and as soon as the seven-man panel comes up to say the man is not guilty, that is the end of it. They cannot harass him with impeachment anymore. Rivers people are tired of their gimmick, we are tired of their tricks.”
He concluded with a caution to Wike and his supporters:
“What they are doing will trigger problems in the state, in the region, and in the country. So they should think well. If they continue with the impeachment, I wish them well. But at the end of the day, the impeachment will fail. And if it fails, that’s the end of impeachment.”
The INC and Rivers elders’ warnings come amid a politically charged atmosphere in Rivers State, where impeachment proceedings have deepened divisions within the House of Assembly and sparked wider debate over governance, accountability, and political ambition.
The Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Gombe Local Government Area of Gombe State, Hon. Babangida Usman, popularly known as Babangida Ventures, has resigned from the party and defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in support of the governorship ambition of Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami ahead of the 2027 general election.
Babangida announced his resignation in Gombe, confirming that he had stepped down as ADC Local Government Secretary before formally joining the PDP.
Explaining the reasons for his defection, he said his decision was driven by his conviction that Professor Pantami possesses the competence, experience and leadership qualities required to move Gombe State forward.
He described the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy as the most credible and capable aspirant in the 2027 governorship race, expressing confidence that his administration would accelerate development across the state.
According to him, his decision to align with the PDP was borne out of his desire to contribute to the realisation of Pantami’s governorship aspiration and the transformation of Gombe State.
The defection is the latest in a series of political realignments in the state following Pantami’s emergence as the PDP governorship candidate, with several politicians and supporters across party lines declaring their support for his ambition.
Professor Pantami is expected to fly the PDP flag in the 2027 governorship election in Gombe State
Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, denied social media reports that he urged Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
The Sultan’s media team, in a statement signed by Prince Bashir Adefaka on Tuesday, said the monarch cannot make partisan political statements publicly or privately.
Prince Bashir Adefaka urged Nigerians and media users to reject the claim, verify reports before sharing, and avoid dragging royal and religious institutions into politics.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that he has called on Nigerians to support the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
The Sultan’s media team, in a statement signed by Prince Bashir Adefaka and made available to Naija News on Tuesday, described the claim as false, insisting that the Sultan, as a father figure to all Nigerians, could not make such a partisan political statement either publicly or privately.
Adefaka urged Nigerians to disregard and condemn what it described as a malicious attempt to drag the Sultan into partisan politics.
“Our simple response to the report is that it is not possible for the Sultan, as the father of all, to make such a statement, either publicly or in any other forum,” the statement said.
It further stated, “Let it be made clear once again that the institutions of monarchy and religion led by the Sultan are institutions of a father figure. As such, His Eminence cannot but remain within the purview of that role by offering fatherly, royal and spiritual blessings, as well as guidance, to Nigerian politicians who seek his counsel and blessings.
“The Sultan’s doors cannot be shut against anyone who comes to him, regardless of political affiliation or persuasion. His Eminence has consistently demonstrated that he is the father of all and will continue to relate with all Nigerians without discrimination.”
The Media Team called on members of the public to reject any attempt to misrepresent the Sultan’s position or associate him with the political campaign or candidacy of any individual ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It added that the Sultan remained committed to promoting peace, unity, stability and peaceful coexistence among Nigeria’s diverse peoples and faiths.
The statement also appealed to media practitioners and social media users to exercise restraint by verifying information before sharing reports capable of misleading the public or dragging traditional and religious institutions into partisan political controversies
Senator Mohammed Onawo, who represents Nasarawa South Senatorial District, announced on Wednesday, August 5, that he has left the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and joined the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), using the occasion to formally declare his bid for the Nasarawa State governorship ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Onawo made the announcement at a news conference held in Lafia, the state capital. A development that could pose a threat to the ambition of Atiku Abubakar, the 2027 presidential candidate of the ADC.
Atiku, who was a former vice president of Nigeria, has been at the forefront of sacking President Bola Tinubu through the poll.
Vanguard reported that the senator was originally elected in 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before switching to the ADC. His latest move marks his second party defection within a short period.
Why Onawo left the ADC Onawo blamed his exit on what he described as a “sham” governorship primary process within the ADC in Nasarawa State.
He said the conduct of the primaries was characterised by manipulation and a lack of democratic process, and described the situation as worse than the circumstances that pushed him out of the PDP.
He said the decision to defect followed broad consultations with elders, political associates, and key stakeholders across the state.
Onawo’s governorship pitch Pitching himself as the right candidate for the top job in Nasarawa, Onawo said the state needed a leader who genuinely understood the diversity of its people. He promised to pursue unity among the state’s various ethnic and religious groups if voted into office.
The senator said his years of political experience, legislative background, and grassroots connections had positioned him ahead of governorship candidates from other parties. He also pledged to run an all-inclusive government focused on delivering prosperity to every resident of the state.
Onawo used the occasion to call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the 2027 elections are free, fair, and credible.
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