The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected moves in the State House of Assembly to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, calling the situation “untenable” and warning against undermining the state government.
Chronicle NG reports that the Rivers State House of Assembly has launched impeachment procedures against Fubara, with Speaker Martins Amaewhule calling the governor a “mistake” and accusing him of serious misconduct.
In a statement signed by the party’s spokesperson, Darlington Nwauju, the APC said: “The attention of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has been drawn to the latest unfortunate developments coming out from the chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“We concede that the legislature is an independent arm in the tripod of governance, and the constitutional responsibilities of checks and balances are within their democratic purview.
“Our position as of today on this matter is that we solemnly reject the resort to an impeachment process against our governor and his deputy.
“It will be totally untenable for our party to keep quiet when an obvious hangover from strife that occurred within the PDP is allowed to resurface in our great party.
“It is important to say to Rivers people and Nigerians that since the latest threat of impeachment centers on the budget, may we remind ourselves that under the period of emergency rule, a budget was transmitted to the National Assembly by the President and Commander-in-Chief in May 2025, which was approved by the Senate on 25 June 2025 and subsequently by the House of Representatives on July 22, 2025, for a total sum of ₦1.485 trillion.
“Interestingly, this budget is for one year and should run until August 2026 and if the Governor is comfortable with the composition of the said budget, he may elect not to present any supplementary budget. Besides, the constitution allows for a six-months spending window into the new fiscal year by a state governor.
“We therefore strongly advise all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, especially APC members, to resist pressures from outside the Assembly chambers to destabilize the government of Rivers State, ably led by His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
“Let it be known that our party will do everything possible to ensure that the Government of Rivers State, which is an APC government, is not destabilized through fratricidal disagreements.
“We therefore call on members of the State Assembly, especially APC members, to immediately discontinue the impeachment process in order not to drag the image of our great party in the mud and stifle the continuous progress and development of Rivers State.
“Let our state remain a democracy and not a politicocracy!!!”
The APC stressed that it would “do everything possible” to protect its government in Rivers State from internal strife and urged lawmakers to discontinue the impeachment process to safeguard the state’s progress and democratic stability.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
