A deepening rift has surfaced within the Peoples Democratic Party following the commencement of impeachment proceedings against Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
While a faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has thrown its weight behind the move, the party’s National Working Committee has opted for restraint.
The impeachment process was triggered on Thursday by the Rivers State House of Assembly after allegations of gross misconduct were raised against Governor Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.
At a plenary session chaired by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, the accusations were formally presented to lawmakers, signalling the official start of the proceedings.
At least 26 members of the Assembly had earlier endorsed the impeachment notice, citing alleged actions they claimed were inconsistent with provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
Speaking separately in an interview with Vanguard, Jungudo Haruna, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP National Caretaker Committee led by Abdulrahman Mohammed and backed by Wike, dissociated the party from Governor Fubara.
Haruna argued that Fubara had effectively exited the PDP by making moves to align with the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Governor Fubara is no longer a member of our party, and we wish him well as he moves to the APC. It is within his constitutional right to do so,” Haruna stated.
He further maintained that the impeachment proceedings should be regarded strictly as a constitutional matter rather than a political one.
“This is not a political issue. The allegations against the governor, such as misappropriation of funds or abuse of office, are serious and need to be addressed. He must go and clear himself. The process has started, and it is based on the laid-down constitutional procedures,” Haruna added.
He praised the Rivers State House of Assembly for what he described as an independent exercise of its legislative authority, noting that the move aligns with the principle of separation of powers.
Haruna also expressed hope that the process would proceed without violence and culminate in justice.
However, the position of Haruna’s faction contrasts sharply with that of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) led by Kabiru Turaki, which has so far declined to comment publicly on the impeachment effort.
In another interview with Vanguard, Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary of the Turaki-led NWC, said the party leadership was closely observing developments but had chosen not to issue an immediate response.
“We are not reacting yet. We’re monitoring the situation and will see how things develop,” Ememobong said.
