News Update
Rivers State is Once Again the Theatre of Political Brinkmanship.
The impeachment move against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy is not just a legislative process unfolding; as a matter of fact, it is a stress test for Nigeria’s democracy. A question mark on the meaning of state autonomy in a supposedly federal system.
On paper, impeachment is constitutional. But as we can see in practice, what Rivers is witnessing looks less like accountability and more like political warfare dressed in legal robes. If you consider the speed, coordination and timing of the process, it then raises uncomfortable questions. Is this truly about governance failures, or is it about power realignment and political control ahead of future elections?
The constitution is clear, the Rivers State House of Assembly has the authority to check the executive. That power exists to protect the people, not to settle elite scores. But when impeachment is weaponised, democracy bleeds quietly, and what should be an extraordinary measure becomes a routine political tool. Governance is reduced to a chessboard where citizens are the pawns.
More troubling is the broader implication for state autonomy. Rivers is not acting in isolation. The drama exposes how fragile subnational independence has become. When state politics begins to mirror the battles of national party structures, one must ask who truly governs the state. The elected executive or unseen political godfathers pulling strings from outside the statehouse?
Observers of the unfolding situation in Rivers know that party politics sits at the heart of this crisis. Internal party fractures, unresolved succession battles and loyalty disputes are spilling into public institutions. Now, instead of resolving differences internally, parties are exporting their conflicts to legislatures, courts and the streets. The result is instability, stalled governance and a distracted leadership at a time when Rivers needs focus on development, security and economic recovery.
This is not a Rivers problem. It’s a Nigerian problem. Today, it’s Rivers, tomorrow it could be any other state where a governor dares to assert independence or crosses entrenched power interests. If this is the penalty for political disobedience, then elections don’t mean much, and federalism is a myth.
The danger is clear. When institutions are used as weapons, public trust collapses. Citizens stop believing in processes and begin to expect chaos as the norm. Democracy then becomes a contest of survival rather than service.
What Rivers State deserves is better. What Nigerians deserve is better. Impeachment should never be a shortcut for political conquest. It must remain a last resort anchored on clear misconduct, due process, and the interest of the people. Anything less is not governance; it is sabotage wearing the mask of legality.
of resolving differences internally, parties are exporting their conflicts to legislatures, courts and the streets. The result is instability, stalled governance and a distracted leadership at a time when Rivers needs focus on development, security and economic recovery.
This is not just a Rivers problem. It is a Nigerian problem. Today it is Rivers. Tomorrow it could be any state where a governor dares to assert independence or deviates from entrenched power interests. If impeachment becomes the punishment for political disobedience, then elections lose meaning and federalism becomes a myth.
The danger is clear. When institutions are used as weapons, public trust collapses. Citizens stop believing in processes and begin to expect chaos as the norm. Democracy then becomes a contest of survival rather than service.
Rivers State deserves better. Nigerians deserve better. Impeachment should never be a shortcut for political conquest. It must remain a last resort anchored on clear misconduct, due process and the interest of the people. Anything less is not governance. It is sabotage wearing the mask of legality.
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