Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), alongside civil society organisations and media professionals, have called on the National Assembly (NASS) to assume the legislative functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly, arguing that the ongoing impeachment effort against Governor Siminalayi Fubara has eroded the Assembly’s credibility and threatens constitutional governance in the oil-rich state.
The demand was made during a protest at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja on Friday, January 23, 2026.
Addressing journalists, representatives of the APC Leaders’ Forum and allied groups said the Rivers House of Assembly has repeatedly abused its powers and embarked on what they described as a politically motivated impeachment plot against Fubara, which they say goes beyond legitimate legislative oversight.
They urged lawmakers at the federal level to act under Section 11(4) of the Constitution, which allows the National Assembly to take over state legislative functions when a house has “lost all credibility and legitimacy.”
“The persistent abuse of legislative powers and reckless attempts to impeach Governor Fubara reflect procedural lawlessness,” said Comrade Ifeanyi Okorie, Convener of the Civil Society coalition supporting the call. “Rivers State is sliding into a dangerous constitutional crisis, and silence now would amount to complicity.”
APC leaders at the rally, including Ibrahim Danjuma (National Leader of the APC Leaders’ Forum) and Elder Akpan Ekpeyong (National Secretary), reiterated that no credible evidence has been presented to justify gross misconduct allegations against the governor.
They commended the Chief Judge of Rivers State for refusing to constitute a probe panel into the impeachment, saying it upheld court orders and reinforced respect for the rule of law.
The political tension in Rivers has deepened in recent weeks as the House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, resumed impeachment proceedings against Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, over alleged gross misconduct, including financial mismanagement and alleged breaches of constitutional provisions.
The Assembly’s actions have followed earlier standoffs and legal interventions that have stymied attempts to remove the governor.
APC stakeholders also accused a bloc of 27 lawmakers loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of driving the impeachment effort for political gain rather than constitutional grounds.
They claimed that those lawmakers have diverted state resources for personal benefit, intensifying the crisis and undermining public trust in the legislative institution.
Speaking at the protest, Dr. Maryann Douglas, Director of Programmes for the civil society coalition, warned that the situation in Rivers represents “a threat not only to governance in the state but to democracy itself.”
She called for broad citizen mobilisation to support the call for federal legislative intervention and prevent further degradation of constitutional order.
Observers say the call for the National Assembly to assume legislative authority underscores the complexity and severity of the political crisis in Rivers State, where repeated impeachment efforts, legal battles, and competing party interests have stalled governance and raised questions about the balance of power between state and federal institutions.
The APC Leaders’ Forum and allied groups vowed to sustain their campaign until decisive action is taken by the National Assembly, framing their demand as a necessary step to “crush legislative anarchy” and preserve democratic principles in one of Nigeria’s most strategically important states.
Meta description: APC leaders and civil society groups call on the National Assembly to take over legislative functions of the Rivers State Assembly, citing loss of credibility and escalating impeachment efforts against Governor Fubara.
