By: Manoah Kikekon
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has officially broken its silence regarding the brewing political crisis in the state, flatly rejecting the move by the House of Assembly to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy. In a strongly-worded statement, the party leadership warned that the state cannot afford a descent into "politicocracy" at the expense of democratic stability.
The Rivers APC spokesperson, Darlington Nwauju, emphasized that while the legislature remains an independent arm of government, the current impeachment attempts appear to be a "hangover" from internal conflicts within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The party leadership expressed concern that these external frictions are being imported into the APC’s governance structure. Nwauju insisted that the party would not stand by while "fratricidal disagreements" threaten to destabilize an administration they now claim as their own.
Central to the impeachment threat is a dispute over the state’s fiscal direction. However, the APC leadership clarified that Governor Fubara is under no constitutional obligation to present a supplementary budget if the current financial framework suffices.
According to the party's analysis: Existing Framework: A budget of N1.485 trillion was approved by the National Assembly during the emergency rule period in 2025. Timeline: This budget is intended to run until August 2026. Constitutional Grace Period: The Governor possesses a six-month spending window into the new fiscal year, providing ample legal ground for current expenditures.
"If the Governor is comfortable with the composition of the said budget, he may elect not to present any supplementary budget," the statement noted, debunking the notion that a lack of a new budget proposal constitutes an impeachable offense.
The party issued a stern warning to APC members within the Rivers State House of Assembly, urging them to resist "pressures from outside" designed to create chaos. The leadership directed these lawmakers to immediately discontinue the impeachment process to protect the party’s reputation and ensure the continuous progress of the state.
The Rivers APC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the Fubara-led government is shielded from destabilization, calling for a focus on governance rather than perpetual political warfare.
"Let our state remain a democracy and not a politicocracy!" Nwauju concluded, signaling a definitive stance against the legislative uprising.