As the drawn out impeachment saga in Rivers State continues, more people are leaning towards Governor Siminalayi Fubara who the House of Assembly is bent on removing.
While no vocal voices are being heard on the street and everywhere looks relatively peaceful, this near-silent majority still say their mind, when approached for comments.
This could be the longest impeachment battle in the history of Nigeria as a democracy, having started in 2024 after Governor Fubara fell out with his predecessor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike.
Perhaps, this could be due to President Bola Tinubu’s intervention through the controversial state of emergency declaration on Rivers State and the six-month suspension of Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu as well as the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Not long after the reconciliation of Wike and Fubara when all Rivers people thought that peace was theirs at last and the governor could focus on development, the state legislature, again fell out with the governor.
While all eyes have been on the Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule – led House of Assembly and Governor Fubara with Wike on the sidelines, either cheering or pulling the strings, no thought has been spared for the long-suffering people who deserve to enjoy a peaceful democracy.
John Tawari (not his real name), on a bus ride from Rumuokoro to Education on the Ikwere Road, Port Harcourt, wondered if the plight of the ordinary man ever crossed the minds of those bent on removing the governor.
Tawari questioned why the elected representatives have not thought it necessary to consult their constituents before embarking on or reigniting the impeachment process.
Expressing bitterness, he lamented why the lawmakers have rejected all appeals to sheathe their swords and embrace peace with the growing number of groups calling for reconciliation in order to move the state forward.
The Trade Union Congress in Rivers State, in a recent statement, said the impeachment saga has affected the ordinary citizens of the state, saying when two elephants fight, the grass suffers.
TUC factional chairman, Udoka Josiah made the statement while demanding for an upward review of the minimum wage to N200,000 monthly due to the high cost of basic necessities in the state.
“Where two elephants are fighting the grass suffers. In this case, the grass represents the workers and good people of Rivers State,” he stated.
At the heart of the latest impeachment move by the state House of Assembly are insinuations of alleged release of a whooping N10.5 billion to lawmakers for constituency projects.
People familiar with the development said lawmakers received as much as N350 million each, but the concern is that there is nothing to show for it.
One Port Harcourt resident said, if the lawmakers had embarked on any project it would not be hidden especially in the state capital.
He queued: “If they have done anything with the money, we will see it. Is this not Port Harcourt? Is there any project going on here that we don’t know about?”
A member of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe told BD Sunday that the job of the lawmakers is to make laws for the betterment of their constituents.
Sara-Igbe who is an elder in PANDEF said of the lawmakers, “Their interest is their constituencies, the constituents that voted them in, they should think of how they can get amenities to those areas and not to come and disorganise the governor. That is not the best way to go about it.”
However, since the issue of the constituency funds became public knowledge, the Rivers State House of Assembly has neither acknowledged or debunked it.
This amidst further allegations that the legislature is fighting the governor so that he will release more funds to them through a supplementary budget.
One lawmaker had claimed that he has embarked on two constituency projects and that anyone who doubted him can go and see for themselves.
But, when contacted by our correspondent, he said the House of Assembly is an institution with an official responsible for responding to such issues.
He neither acknowledged nor debunked the alleged receipt of N350 million for constituency projects. He promised to send the contact of the official, but never did.
The Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Enemi Alabo George, when reached for comment did not pick his calls nor respond to text and WhatsApp messages to his mobile number.
Efforts to get Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s Special Adviser on Political Matters, Hon. Darlington Orji to speak on the matter failed as he declined comments saying he is a government official.
Another worrying issue is the insinuation that the N10.5 billion allegedly was released to the lawmakers during the time of the Sole Administrator, when both Governor Fubara and his deputy as well as the House of Assembly was serving a six-month suspension.
An insider who is familiar with the matter said the money was approved and released on September 12, 2025 and the memo was marked “2025 Constituency Projects”.
It is further said that only the 26 lawmakers loyal to former governor and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike got the constituency funds while pro-Fubara lawmakers were shut out.
In addition to the constituency funds, the lawmakers also received a brand new SUV each valued at over N150 million, according to an online report quoting Fubara’s aide, Darlington Orji.
The silence of both parties in the impeachment struggle on the N10.5 billion constituency funds raises speculations about the place of the ordinary man in discussions surrounding the growth and development of Rivers State.
At the conclusion of the Polo tourney in the state capital, Governor Fubara had asserted that the important thing was that he is still governor and would continue to do what he promised to do.
“What is important is that I am still the governor of Rivers State, and we will continue to do what we have promised the Rivers people,” he said.
On the streets, in their homes, at work and business, the people want to know what is happening, straining to interpret any comment, sly look, to decipher what is ahead.
It remains to be seen if they have been neglected and abandoned by the people they had entrusted with their votes to lead them to higher ground.
