The Ijaw National Congress (INC), the apex socio-cultural organisation of the Ijaw nation worldwide, has strongly condemned the renewed impeachment proceedings against Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, describing the move as a grave threat to democracy, peace and stability in Rivers State and the wider Niger Delta.
In a press statement issued on January 9, 2026, in Yenagoa, the INC said the action by the Rivers State House of Assembly marked the third impeachment attempt against the governor since 2023, warning that the repeated moves reflected a cycle of political vendetta that must be halted in the interest of democratic governance.
The organisation declared its solidarity with the people of Rivers State and defenders of constitutional order, insisting that the crisis transcended ethnic considerations and posed a fundamental test for Nigeria’s democracy.
“This is not a matter of the Ijaw nation but of democracy,” the INC said, arguing that issues cited by the Assembly, including budgetary spending and appointments, were governance matters that should be resolved through lawful processes and due process rather than the “weaponisation of impeachment.”
The INC linked the renewed impeachment threat to the collapse of a peace deal brokered in June 2025 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resolve the political feud between Governor Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
While noting that the Assembly had cited Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution, the INC expressed concern over the speed and context of the process, raising doubts about its fairness and warning that impeachment was being used as a political tool rather than a constitutional check on executive power.
The group added that opposition to the impeachment move cut across party lines, with voices from both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State also calling for the process to be dropped.
The INC urged President Tinubu, as President and Commander-in-Chief, to intervene decisively to protect constitutional democracy in Rivers State. It called on the President to exercise neutrality, rein in agents of instability, and prevent any attempt to use federal institutions to withhold statutory allocations to the state, warning that such action would amount to unconstitutional economic sanctions against the people.
According to the INC, the peace and economic stability of the Niger Delta, a region critical to Nigeria’s economy, depend on the federal government being perceived as an honest and impartial arbiter.
The organisation also appealed to Ijaw people and residents of Rivers State to remain peaceful and law-abiding, urging them to channel their energies into peaceful civic engagement and lawful advocacy. It warned against provocation, violence or destruction of property, stressing that development projects in the state should not be sacrificed on the altar of political conflict.
The INC called on the Rivers State House of Assembly to refocus on its legislative and oversight responsibilities, while allowing the executive arm to govern in line with its mandate, and advocated renewed dialogue as the only sustainable path to peace.
It further cautioned that no other group, including the River People’s Congress, was authorised to speak on behalf of the Ijaw nation, urging the public to disregard statements from unauthorised bodies claiming to represent Ijaw positions on the crisis.
The statement, signed by the INC President, Prof. Benjamin O. Okaba, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to the unity, peace and progress of Nigeria, pledging to continue monitoring developments and to take all legitimate constitutional steps to ensure that democracy prevails in Rivers State.
