… as Wike tells lawmaker to ‘follow your conscience’
… Traditional rulers wade in
The Rivers State House of Assembly to sit on Thursday January 15, 2026, seven days after it began an impeachment process against Siminalayi Fubara, state governor and Ngozi Odu, his deputy.
The lawmakers, according to reports, failed to meet at the Legislative Quarters, which had become venue of their sittings following the burning of the state Assembly complex and subsequent reconstruction.
The House had, at their last sitting last week, adjourned to Thursday, January 15, 2026.
The failure to reconvene is coming on the heels of calls by four of the 26 lawmakers that initially signed the impeachment notice for a restraint in the handling of the impeachment process, and for the Assembly to seek a “political solution” to the ongoing crisis.
Barile Nwakoh (Khana I) and Emilia Amadi (Obio/Akpor 2), on Wednesday January 14, 2026, joined Sylvanus Enyinna Nwankwo, Minority Leader and member representing Omuma state constituency and Peter Abbey, representing Degema Constituency, in asking their colleagues to discontinue the impeachment process against the governor and his deputy.
Read also: Four Rivers’ lawmakers urge colleagues to withdraw impeachment on Fubara
The 22 remaining members, as yet, have not indicated any intention to withdraw from the process, which Enemi Alabo George, spokesperson of the Assembly, had earlier said is ongoing.
Nwakoh, who is the deputy Minority Leader of the Assembly, and Amadi, addressing newsmen in Port Harcourt on Wednesday January 14, 2026, urged their colleagues to withdraw the impeachment notice served the governor and his deputy.
Their call came barely 24 hours after Silvanus Nwankwo and Peter Abbey backed out of the impeachment proceedings.
Emilia Amadi, representing Obio/Akpor 2 state constituency in the Assembly, said that Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was aware of her decision to seek a “political solution” to the impeachment crisis.
The lawmaker, representing Wike’s constituency in the Assembly, said the minister advised her to follow her conscience as regards her stand on the impeachment process.
Amadi said, “I represent the FCT Minister, His Excellency Chief Barrister Ezenwo Wike. He is my constituent. And I want to let you know that before coming for this press briefing, that I informed him, I told him of it.
“But he said to me that I should do whatever my conscience tells me to do, in line with the Constitution and keep all agreements entered with the supervision of Mr. President for the good and betterment of Rivers State,” she said.
Nwankwo and Abbey, in a statement on Monday, had urged their colleagues to de-escalate tensions and embrace dialogue and collective wisdom in handling the political situation in the state.
They agreed that Fubara and Odu had contravened sections of the Constitution, as contained in the impeachment notice, but said the need exists for the Assembly to tamper justice with mercy.
Nwankwo and Abbey said that the overriding interest of Rivers State must take precedence over partisan considerations, warning that actions capable of destabilising the polity would only undermine democratic governance and public confidence.
They stressed that wisdom, truth, and justice would ultimately prevail, noting that recent developments indicate a shift in momentum around the impeachment process.
“The peace of Rivers State is paramount. This is a moment for reflection, dialogue, and statesmanship,” they said, adding that history would judge the Assembly by the choices it makes at this critical time.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers has wade into the impeachment crisis. Eze Chike Worlu Wodo, chairman of the council, has set up a nine-member committee to mediate in the crisis.
