Impeachment: Court Adjourns Fubara, Odu Suit Indefinitely Pending Appeals
· Bwala: governor is APC leader in state, Wike not our party member
Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The impeachment moves against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, appears to have been paused momentarily as an Oyigbo High Court in Port Harcourt, yesterday, indefinitely adjourned their suit challenging the impeachment processes as directed by members of Rivers State House of Assembly.
This comes as the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, yesterday, reaffirmed that Fubara, is the recognised leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State, stressing that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, was yet to register as a member of the ruling party.
On the suit, the presiding judge, Justice Florence Fiberesima, had, on January 16, 2026, in two separate suits by Fubara and Odu, restrained the Speaker and other lawmakers from sending any request, resolution, articles of impeachment, or other document or communication to the Chief Judge.
The court had also restrained the Chief Judge from receiving, forwarding, considering, and or acting on any request, resolution, articles of impeachment or other document or communication from the lawmakers for purposes of constituting a panel to investigate allegations of misconduct against the governor and his deputy.
The court had adjourned the case to yesterday for motion. When the matter resumed in court, lead counsel to Amaewhule and 26 other members, S.I. Ameh, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), informed the court about the appeal which had been entered and orally applied the court to stop further hearing pending the determination of the appeal.
The oral applications were not opposed by the lead claimants counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN), and Lawrence Oko-Jaja, counsel to 28th to 30th defendants in the court who are Victor Oko-Jumbo, Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Timothy, lawmakers loyal to Governor Fubara.
Ruling on the application, Justice Fiberesima adjourned sine die following the proof of two separate appeals which have been entered, a decision which she said would enable the appeal court determine the suit before it.
Bwala: Fubara is APC Leader in Rivers, Wike Not Party Member
Meanwhile, Daniel Bwala, has reaffirmed that Fubara, is the recognised leader of the APC in the State, stressing that Wike was not yet a member of the ruling party.
Bwala made the clarification while speaking on a national television, amid the political crisis in the coastal state which has morphed into the initiation of impeachment proceedings, by State lawmakers.
“I agree with the point highlighted by the National Chairman (Nentawe Yilwatda) that in Rivers State, Governor Fubara is the leader of the APC in Rivers State. Wike is not a member of APC, so he cannot speak for the APC,” Bwala said.
He added that while Wike may retain influence within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, he has no authority within the APC.
“He may be the leader of the PDP in Rivers State because he was a former governor and they do not have a governor at the moment, but in APC, the leader of the party in Rivers State is Governor Fubara,” he stated.
Bwala noted that President Bola Tinubu was committed to the rule of law and respects internal party processes, stressing that the President fully supports the position taken by the APC leadership on the Rivers situation.
“The President believes in the rule of law and rule-based practice. With respect to party affairs, what the national chairman said is the position the President sticks to because he respects party procedure,” he said.
Addressing the impeachment attempts against Fubara and his deputy, Bwala said the party’s stance was clear and that the governor must be “allowed to govern without interference.”
“There have been orders of court that stopped impeachment. The party is clear. Nobody should stop Fubara from governing the state,” he said.
The presidential aide also clarified that Wike’s position in government should not be confused with party membership, saying the FCT Minister was serving the federal government and not the APC as a political party.
He dismissed claims that Wike enjoys undue influence within the administration, noting that Tinubu rewards performance, but not at the expense of national interest.
“The President believes in compensating people, but not at the expense of the interest of Nigeria. He will give you latitude and privilege, but not at the expense of what is right,” Bwala said.
He noted that the dispute between Wike and Fubara has effectively been settled by the party’s recognition of the governor as APC leader in Rivers State, urging all parties to respect due process and constitutional governance.
Governor Fubara defected from the PDP to the APC in December 2025. He has also been endorsed by the APC for a second term in the 2027 elections.
Wike, despite serving as FCT Minister under an APC-led government, has not joined the APC.
The leadership of the APC maintains that he has no official standing in the party and works for the federal government, not the APC.
