Amid the ongoing impeachment process against Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, a pro-democracy and accountability group, the National Vanguard for Accountable and Transparent Democracy (NVATD), has called on the governor to resign honourably, warning that his actions have plunged the state into political instability.
The call followed the decision of 26 out of the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to sign an impeachment notice against the governor. The notice was presented during Thursday’s resumed plenary by the Majority Leader, Hon. Major Jack, representing Akuku-Toru I Constituency.
Presenting the impeachment notice, Jack outlined eight allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Governor Fubara. These include the demolition of the Assembly complex, engagement in unapproved budgetary expenditures, withholding of funds meant for the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission, refusal to comply with the Supreme Court ruling on the financial autonomy of the legislature, and the alleged seizure of the salaries of the Clerk of the House, Emeka Amadi, among others.
The lawmakers further accused the governor of refusing to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the House of Assembly, an action they described as a direct affront to the constitutional powers of the legislature.
In a statement issued on Saturday and signed by its spokesperson, Comrade Wisdom Abah, NVATD accused Governor Fubara of reneging on the peace agreement brokered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing the move as a major trigger of the political crisis rocking the state.
The group said the governor’s refusal to honour agreements reached in June and September 2025 had “invited anarchy” into Rivers State, stressing that the deals were intended to restore stability and strengthen democratic governance.
NVATD also criticised comments allegedly made by Governor Fubara during a BBC interview, where he was said to have suggested that the existence of the Assembly depended on him. According to the group, such remarks betray a misunderstanding of democratic principles and the doctrine of separation of powers.
“The most honourable thing for the governor to do now is to resign before it is too late. He remains the only governor in the country yet to present the 2026 budget to his State Assembly. His continued refusal to recognise the legislature as a co-equal arm of government, grant it full autonomy, and fulfil commitments made before President Tinubu amounts to a grave disrespect to democracy and the President himself,” the group stated.
The group concluded by urging Governor Fubara to respect democratic institutions, uphold the rule of law, and put the interest of Rivers State above personal considerations.
