Rivers: Group slams Fubara over alleged disrespect for President Tinubu, urges immediate resignation

Amid the ongoing impeachment moves against Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, a leading pro-democracy and accountability group has called on him to step down honourably before the situation worsens.
The governor is once again confronted with an impeachment threat, as 26 out of the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have reportedly endorsed a notice seeking his removal from office.

At the resumed plenary on Thursday, the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Major Jack, formally presented the impeachment notice, outlining eight allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Governor Fubara.
Hon. Jack, who represents Akuku-Toru I Constituency, accused the governor of ordering the demolition of the Assembly complex, engaging in unauthorized budgetary expenditures, withholding statutory funds meant for the Rivers State Assembly Service Commission, disobeying the Supreme Court judgment on the financial autonomy of the legislature, and seizing the salaries of the Clerk of the House, Emeka Amadi, among other allegations.
The lawmakers further accused the governor of deliberately ignoring repeated calls to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill, an action they said undermines the constitutional powers of the legislature.
Reacting on Saturday, a pro-democracy and accountability group operating under the banner of the National Vanguard for Accountable and Transparent Democracy (NVATD) said Governor Fubara’s actions had plunged the state into political instability. In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Comrade Wisdom Abah, the group alleged that the governor had reneged on the peace agreement brokered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, thereby inviting disorder into Rivers State.
According to the group, Governor Fubara bears sole responsibility for the current political tension in the state, stressing that he only needs to return to the peace agreements reached in June and September 2025 in the overall interest of the people of Rivers State.
The group maintained that the refusal of the governor and his deputy to present the 2026 budget to the House of Assembly, his continued disregard for the duly constituted legislature, and his failure to honour the peace deal supervised by President Tinubu were serious missteps capable of undoing his administration.
“The most honourable option open to the governor now is to resign before it is too late. As things stand, he is reportedly the only governor in Nigeria who has not presented the 2026 budget to the state assembly. This shows a clear lack of respect for lawmakers. He must understand that the legislature is a critical arm of government with defined constitutional responsibilities and is not part of the executive,” the statement said.
The group also referenced Governor Fubara’s comments during a BBC interview, where he allegedly suggested that the Assembly owed its existence to him and could be de-recognized at his discretion. He was also quoted as claiming that some lawmakers benefited from his personal support before he became governor.
NVATD described such remarks as unhealthy for democracy, noting that personal relationships should never be confused with governance. The group stressed that prior associations between the governor and some lawmakers do not prevent the Assembly from carrying out its constitutional oversight duties.
It argued that the governor’s continued refusal to present the 2026 budget amounted to a deliberate attempt to undermine a democratic institution. The group further accused him of failing to grant full autonomy to the Assembly and local governments, as well as neglecting to settle outstanding financial obligations to lawmakers, contrary to the terms of the peace agreement.
According to the statement, these actions not only undermine democratic principles but also show disrespect to the legislature and, ultimately, to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, under whose supervision the commitments were made.