Rivers Impeachment: Four Lawmakers Switch Sides
By Wellington Jopelo
Four members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who recently pulled out of impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara have made a dramatic U-turn, declaring renewed support for the process.
The lawmakers are the Minority Leader of the House, Sylvanus Nwankwo; Peter Abbey, representing Degema Constituency; Barile Nwakoh of Khana Constituency I; and Emilia Amadi of Obio/Akpor Constituency II.
They announced their change of position on Friday during a live broadcast from the frontage of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex, days after publicly appealing for dialogue and political reconciliation to resolve the crisis rocking the state.
Explaining the reversal, Nwankwo recalled that he and Abbey had, on January 12, 2026, urged their colleagues to pursue a political solution to the standoff between the legislature and the executive. He said events that followed their appeal forced a rethink.
“Rather than embrace the political solution we proposed, the governor and the deputy governor deployed media aides and supporters to launch sustained attacks on the Rivers State House of Assembly,” Nwankwo said. “On that basis, we have resolved that the impeachment proceedings should continue.”
Nwakoh and Amadi also aligned themselves with the renewed push for impeachment, stating that they were unconvinced of the governor’s willingness to resolve the crisis through dialogue. According to them, continued hostility from the executive arm made legislative action inevitable.
The latest development comes amid heightened tension within the Assembly following the commencement of impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu. The process, initiated last week under the leadership of Speaker Martin Amaewhule, is anchored on allegations of gross misconduct.
Key allegations include the demolition of the Assembly complex and the purported expenditure of public funds without legislative approval.
Earlier in the week, the four lawmakers had announced their withdrawal from the impeachment process, citing the need for reconciliation and political stability. However, members of the Assembly on Friday insisted that impeachment remains constitutional and, in their view, the only viable path out of the current impasse.
The renewed momentum followed the Assembly’s inability to reconvene for plenary on Thursday, a week after its last sitting, amid speculation of internal rifts among lawmakers.
With the latest reversal by the four legislators, the impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy appear to have regained traction within the House.