Assembly Blockade: Impeaching Fubara Will Carry Serious Consequences, INC Warns

The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has issued a stern warning against any move to impeach Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, stating that such an action would have dire economic repercussions for the entire country. This comes in the wake of a blockade at the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex, which prevented Governor Fubara from presenting the 2025 budget as directed by the Supreme Court.

The INC criticized the role of Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, accusing him of trying to stir ethnic conflict between the Ikwerre and Ijaw nations for political gain. According to INC President Professor Benjamin Okaba, the lawmakers behind the Assembly blockade are acting in the interest of Wike, who allegedly handpicked and financed their campaigns, rather than prioritizing the wellbeing of Rivers people.

Professor Okaba described the lawmakers’ actions as reckless, pointing out the irony of their demands. “These same lawmakers gave the Governor ultimatums to present the budget, then blocked him from doing so,” he said. “They also insisted he sack 19 commissioners, including the Commissioner for Finance. Who then prepares the budget?”

He stressed that Fubara’s decision to follow the Supreme Court ruling should not be mistaken for weakness, emphasizing that the governor is committed to upholding the rule of law and maintaining peace, even under political pressure.

Okaba warned that any attempt to impeach Fubara would be met with strong resistance and could trigger consequences too severe for the country to handle. “This is not a threat—it is a reality,” he said.

In response to Wike’s recent comments perceived as divisive, Okaba reaffirmed that the Ikwerre and Ijaw people will not be dragged into conflict. “Ikwerre and Ijaw will never go to war because of Wike,” he said. “The Ikwerre have already apologized to the Ijaw nation for his behavior toward Fubara. Wike is simply at war with himself.”