ABUJA, Nigeria – Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has stated that Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State, should face impeachment if he violates the constitution.
Wike made the remarks during a media chat in Abuja on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, emphasising that politics should not be taken lightly and that impeachment is a constitutional process, not a criminal offence.
“Politics is not play. If you have committed an offence to be impeached, what’s wrong? Is it a criminal offence? It’s provided in the constitution. Am I a member of the Assembly?” Wike said.
“If you have committed an infraction of the constitution, and the Assembly deems it fit to say you should be impeached.”
Wike dismissed concerns that impeaching Fubara could lead to a breakdown of law and order, describing such fears as “rubbish.”
He asserted that the rule of law must prevail, regardless of the political consequences.
“I have heard people say, ‘Oh, if they impeach him, there will be a breakdown of law and order.’ Rubbish! Nothing will happen,” he said.
The FCT minister also criticised the idea that a small group of legislators could pass laws and expect them to be recognised as valid.
His comments come amid a political rift in Rivers State, where the state House of Assembly is divided into two factions—one loyal to Wike and another to Fubara.
“I cannot believe that in this country, we are now at the point where Nigerians are talking about where three members of the House will sit and make a law, and they are talking about going to the Supreme Court,” Wike said.
He further emphasised that elected officials, including speakers and assembly members, are not subordinates but representatives of the people.
“Speakers and Assembly members are not our children; they were elected; they are not your boys or your girls,” he said.
“You sit with them and play with them. I travelled with my Speakers, and I created relationships. It’s not a master-servant thing.”
Wike’s remarks highlight the ongoing political tensions in Rivers State, where the power struggle between him and Fubara has polarised the state’s political landscape.
The conflict has led to a divided assembly and raised questions about governance and stability in the oil-rich state.
As the situation unfolds, residents and political observers are closely watching how the rift will impact governance and the implementation of policies in Rivers State.
