Spokesperson for Citizens for Good Governance in Democracy and public affairs analyst, Ben Ukeji, has warned that ongoing impeachment proceedings against River State Governor Seymour Fubara and his deputy are a deliberate political distraction threatening governance in the state.
In an interview with Arise News on Thursday, Ukeji described the repeated attempts to remove the governor as “very unfortunate,” saying they are designed to create tension, destabilise leadership, and derail the delivery of governance to the people of River State.
“This is very unfortunate,” Ukeji said. “We’re seeing a political trajectory in River State aimed at creating tension, instability, and distracting governance. Governor Fubara was elected on a social contract with the people, but these repeated attempts at impeachment—three in just two to three years—are most undesirable.”
Ukeji attributed the crisis to political disagreements between Fubara and his former godfather, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. “When you sponsor someone to become governor, and within a year you seek to impeach them, it reflects poorly on the sponsor’s capacity to mentor leadership,” he said.
Addressing allegations over budgetary irregularities cited by lawmakers, Ukeji dismissed claims that Fubara had violated constitutional provisions. “Even the arguments about the 2025 budget are untenable. The state had a military administrator who presented a budget that was approved and became law. The governor has not spent even six months under that budget because of the state of emergency declared last year. The allegation of non-submission cannot hold,” he said.
He argued that the impeachment move was politically motivated. “What is clearly at play here is a supremacy battle, a deliberate intention to distract the governor and prevent him from seeking re-election. The timing is significant: if the impeachment investigation runs three months, it coincides with party primaries. This is clearly the endgame.”
Ukeji urged Governor Fubara to act strategically and rely on political alliances, noting that his timely move from the PDP to the APC had safeguarded him against previous political muzzling. “The President’s intervention should not just be about Governor Fubara. It’s about River State and the people who trusted their mandate to him. The sanctity of the political system is at stake,” he said.
Reflecting on the broader implications, Ukeji highlighted potential fallout for national politics. “The FCT minister’s actions risk rubbing off on President Tinubu. The ordinary voters in River State may associate these conflicts with the President. Internationally, Nigeria’s democracy is being observed, and River State’s repeated political crises project a negative image.”
Residents remain divided over the impeachment process, with some demanding that Governor Fubara be allowed to govern without interference. The Emeka Beke faction of the APC has also rejected the impeachment, warning against destabilising the state government.
“For the citizens, when two political elephants fight, the grass suffers,” Ukeji said. “Governance is already under strain. The only way forward is dialogue. Political solutions alone won’t solve this. Even if Fubara is impeached or survives, political consequences remain. Mr. President should intervene to restore relationships between the governor and the legislators so governance can continue effectively.”
Boluwatife Enome
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