BREAKING: PRESS STATEMENT BY THE IJAW NATIONAL CONGRESS (INC) ON THE DEEPENING POLITICAL CRISIS AND IMPEACHMENT THREAT IN RIVERS STATE,

BREAKING: PRESS STATEMENT BY THE IJAW NATIONAL CONGRESS (INC) ON THE DEEPENING POLITICAL CRISIS AND IMPEACHMENT THREAT IN RIVERS STATE

January 9, 2026 | Yenagoa, Nigeria

1. The Ijaw National Congress (INC), the apex socio-cultural organization of the Ijaw nation worldwide, issues this urgent statement in response to the resumption of impeachment proceedings by the Rivers State House of Assembly against the democratically elected Governor, His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and his Deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu.

2. The INC categorically and unequivocally condemns this impeachment move as a grave threat to democracy, peace, and stability in Rivers State and the Niger Delta region. This is the third such attempt since 2023, revealing a relentless cycle of political vendetta that must be broken. 

We stand firmly with the people of Rivers State and all defenders of constitutional order in rejecting this dangerous gambit.

3. The INC frames this crisis not merely as an Ijaw issue, but as a fundamental test for and threat to Nigeria's democracy.  This is "not a matter of the Ijaw nation but of democracy". The allegations presented by the Assembly, including matters of budgetary spending and gubernatorial appointments, are governance issues that can and must be resolved within the framework of law and due process, not through the weaponization of impeachment.

This impeachment threat, no doubt, follows the collapse of a peace deal brokered by President Bola Tinubu in June 2025, aimed at resolving the feud between Governor Fubara and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

4. The Assembly's notice cites Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution. However, the speed and context of this process raise questions about its adherence to the spirit of fairness and its use as a political tool rather than a genuine check on executive power.

5. The INC's stance is also echoed by persons across the political spectrum, including within the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, who have also called for the impeachment to be dropped.

6. The Ijaw National Congress respectfully and urgently calls upon the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to act decisively as the father of the nation, and that:

i. To Uphold Constitutional Democracy, we implore Mr. President to use his moral authority and office to defend the constitutional order in Rivers State. The repeated impeachment threats against a sitting governor, following your personal intervention, undermine the stability you seek to foster.

ii. To Ensure Absolute Neutrality and Fairness, we reiterate the call made by Niger Delta leaders for your administration to handle this crisis without bias or favoritism. The peace and economic stability of the Niger Delta, a region critical to the national economy, hinge on the federal government being perceived as an honest broker.

iii. To Curb All Agents of Instability, we call on Mr. President, to rein in all individuals, including those within his government, whose actions and pronouncements fuel this crisis and threaten to throw Rivers State into anarchy. The crisis has been marked by provocative statements and actions that must be curtailed.

iv. To Safeguard Federal Allocations to Rivers State, we view any attempt to leverage federal institutions to withhold statutory allocations to Rivers State as unconstitutional and profoundly provocative. Such an action would be an economic sanction against the people of Rivers State and the Ijaw nation, with dire consequences for national unity.

7. In this tense period, the INC urges and strongly advises all Ijaw people and residents of Rivers State to remain peaceful, law-abiding, and resolute. Do not be provoked into any action that could lead to violence or the destruction of property, but:

Stand for the Democratic Principles by channeling your energies into peaceful civic engagement. Support lawful advocacy and defend democratic institutions. The legitimate development projects initiated by the state government must not be sacrificed on the altar of politics. We encourage all stakeholders to return to the path of genuine dialogue. The previous suspensions and state of emergency have not yielded lasting peace. Only an inclusive, good-faith dialogue can secure a sustainable future for the state.

Support Constitutional Governance: This is a time to demand governance, not perpetual political warfare. We urge the Rivers State House of Assembly to focus on its core legislative and oversight duties, allowing the executive to serve the people who elected them.

8. This Press release equally serves as yet another important wake-up Call on ljaws all over the world to defend our Brotherhood in Rivers State and elsewhere in similar circumstances. Ijaws and other ethnic nationalities and lovers of democracy globally must rise to the occasion now in defence of the Right of the PEOPLE, to good governance, orderliness and peaceful coexistence.

9. We totally align with the earlier position taken by the Eastern Zone’s Ijaw National Congress and the ljaw Youth Council on the need for all concerned to de-escalate the on-going crisis in Rivers State and that NO OTHER IJAW GROUP, including the River People's Congress can speak for and/or be engaged on behalf of the ljaw Nation. Therefore, all the utterances made by any other group concerning the ljaw unwavering support for Governor SIM should be disregarded by the general public as misleading and not representing the IJAW POSITION.

10. The INC does passionately appeal and advise both the Executive and the Legistative arms of government in Rivers State to work together amicably and peacefully in the overall interest of the Masses in the State, who are, indeed entitled to peace and development, and not self-destruction or anarchy

11. The Ijaw National Congress remains committed to the unity, peace, and progress of Nigeria. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will take all legitimate and constitutional steps necessary to ensure that the rights of the Ijaw people and all citizens of Rivers State are protected, and that democracy prevails over impunity.

Signed;

Professor Benjamin O. Okaba

President, Ijaw National Congress (INC) Global

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