Rivers crisis: ADC chieftain accuses APC, presidency of betraying Gov Fubara

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Austin Okai, has alleged that the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, reflect a deep betrayal by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a failure of intervention by key elements within the presidency.

Speaking in an interview, Okai claimed that Governor Fubara had been “scammed” by those who allegedly assured him of protection at the federal level but later failed to halt the impeachment process.

According to him, the persistence of the proceedings suggests that the governor has been abandoned politically.

“Fubara is having problems; APC has betrayed him,” Okai said. “If the presidency was truly protecting him as some people made him believe, the impeachment process would have died down by now. Instead, he has gone to a local court for survival, and his hope is now hanging on the judiciary.”

The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency further lamented what he described as the governor’s loss of political control within his own state, noting that Fubara does not appear to command the loyalty of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“You know the presidency can scam somebody, and they have scammed him,” Okai added. “He cannot even have control of his own House of Assembly members representing the state—a sitting governor who does not have control of his own House of Assembly.”

Okai argued that the impeachment saga may be part of a broader political strategy aimed at limiting Fubara to a single term in office.

He suggested that even if impeachment does not ultimately succeed, the damage may already have been done.

READ ALSO: Rivers Assembly rejects court order, insist on Fubara, deputy’s impeachment

“There is a way out,” he said. “If they don’t impeach him and he ends up doing only one term, is that not okay for them? I was expecting that by now, APC would have called the Assembly members to order because, as an APC governor, he is supposed to be the leader of the party in the state.”

Questioning the governor’s value to the ruling party, Okai hinted at internal power calculations within the APC. “Maybe they don’t need him,” he said. “You weigh the options—what does he have to offer compared to what Nyesom Wike has to offer? It’s a matter of choice at this moment. What does APC want?”

Meanwhile, a Rivers elder statesman, Wenendah Wali, has cautioned against drawing premature conclusions about the outcome of the impeachment process, describing Nigerian politics as unpredictable.

“You and I know that one plus one is not two in Nigerian politics,” Wali said. “A lot of funny things happen that you can’t easily explain.”

Wali stressed that impeachment is fundamentally a constitutional process governed by clearly defined stages, which limit the scope for speculation. He outlined the steps involved, including motions in the House of Assembly, formal notice to the governor, voting thresholds, and the role of the Chief Judge (CJ) in constituting a panel.

“From the motions in the House of Assembly to the notice of impeachment, to the required votes, to the CJ and the committee, all these stages are clearly stipulated,” he explained. “If the assembly has written to the CJ to constitute a committee of seven persons of integrity, I am not in a position to speculate on what their thinking will be.”

According to Wali, the fate of the impeachment largely rests with the Chief Judge and any panel that may be constituted. “Everything squarely depends on the CJ right now and the panel he constitutes,” he said.

“If they examine the grounds for impeachment and conclude that the governor breached them, the committee’s majority vote will determine the outcome, and their decision is final. The assembly cannot overrule them.”