Political tensions have intensified in Rivers State following renewed efforts by the State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu. Denge Josef Onoh, former South-East Spokesman to President Bola Tinubu, has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to immediately suspend all its lawmakers in the Rivers Assembly allegedly involved in the move.

In a statement issued Sunday in Abuja, Onoh described the impeachment attempt, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, as “legislative rascality” and a deliberate assault on constitutional order and democratic governance. He faulted the allegations of gross misconduct, particularly claims that Governor Fubara failed to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill, arguing that they ignore an already approved budget running until August 2026 under emergency provisions.

Onoh noted that this is the third impeachment attempt against Fubara since 2023, with the latest escalation occurring in January 2026. He pointed to the defection of the lawmakers from the PDP to the APC on December 5, 2025, shortly before Fubara also joined the ruling party, insisting that the coordinated move against both the governor and his deputy signals a calculated bid to seize power outside constitutional means.

Governor Fubara has dismissed the impeachment push, insisting he remains the duly elected governor and will continue to perform his constitutional duties. Speaking at the grand finale of the 2026 NPA Port Harcourt International Polo Tournament on January 17, he said the peaceful event demonstrated that Rivers State remains safe, urging residents to ignore “misleading narratives on social media” and reaffirming his commitment to protecting lives, property, and business interests.

Meanwhile, a Port Harcourt High Court issued an interim order on January 16 restraining the state’s chief judge from receiving or acting on any impeachment notice against the governor and his deputy. Despite this, the lawmakers involved have reportedly vowed to continue with the process, maintaining that the court lacks the authority to stop legislative impeachment proceedings.