The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and over 70 civil society organisations (CSOs), under the umbrella of the Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations (CNCSOs), have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to go beyond politics and be decisive in his intervention in resolving the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State.
At a media conference on Monday in Abuja, the Chairman, Elders Forum, CNCSOs, Baba Abubakar El-Nafaty, said their intervention was driven by a solemn patriotic duty to defend constitutional democracy, protect the mandate of the people of Rivers State and avert a dangerous political precedent that now threatens national peace and democracy.
They also demanded the immediate termination of all impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, saying the political crisis in Rivers State did not arise from governance failure, incompetence, or constitutional breach by the governor.
“What is unfolding in Rivers State goes far beyond local politics. It represents a critical test of Nigeria’s commitment to constitutional governance, separation of powers and democratic stability.
“The political crisis in Rivers State did not arise from governance failure, incompetence, or constitutional breach by Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Rather, it is the product of a calculated political project aimed at seizing control of state power through the manipulation of legislative institutions.
“We recall that Rivers State was previously subjected to a six-month emergency rule, during which democratic governance was suspended. Following the return of Governor Fubara to office and his subsequent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigerians expected reconciliation, stability and a renewed focus on governance.
The forum said President Tinubu has both the constitutional authority and moral responsibility to halt what they described as a dangerous political trajectory capable of undermining national peace and Nigeria’s still-consolidating democracy.
“Mr President, this is no longer just a Rivers State issue. It is a national democratic emergency,” the organisations declared, stressing that what is unfolding in the state “goes far beyond local politics” and represents “a critical test of Nigeria’s commitment to constitutional governance, separation of powers, and democratic stability.”
The CNPP and CNCSOs warned that failure by the President to act decisively could legitimise what they termed “legislative anarchy” and embolden similar crises across the federation. According to them, “failure to act now risks legitimising legislative anarchy and encouraging similar crises across other states, with dire consequences for national unity and peace.”
They described the Rivers situation as a deliberate political project rather than a governance issue, insisting that Governor Siminalayi Fubara has not committed any constitutional offence warranting impeachment.
“Let us be clear,” they said, “Governor Siminalayi Fubara has not committed any act that meets the constitutional threshold for impeachment under Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. There is no credible allegation of gross misconduct, no paralysis of governance, and no popular uprising demanding his removal.”
According to the groups, the ongoing impeachment threats reflect “the weaponisation of a State House of Assembly as an instrument of political conquest rather than a guardian of democracy,” a development they warned is “not only reckless; it is extremely dangerous to Nigeria’s national peace.”
They cautioned President Tinubu that if the Rivers State model is allowed to persist, Nigeria could slide into a destabilising era where legislatures are used to unseat elected governors for political and financial control.
“If the Rivers State template is allowed to stand,” they warned, “then Nigeria risks sliding into a future where state assemblies across the country become battlegrounds for elite power struggles.” They further asked pointedly: “If every governor becomes vulnerable to impeachment at the whim of external political forces, where then is the sovereignty of the people? Where does democratic stability reside?”
The CNPP and CNCSOs also drew the President’s attention to allegations of conditional political settlements linked to the crisis. They cited claims by loyalists of Governor Fubara that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, imposed conditions on the governor in exchange for halting impeachment proceedings.
“Chief among these alleged conditions,” they said, “was the immediate ratification of a commissioner list reportedly submitted by the FCT Minister upon Governor Fubara’s return to office.”
“These allegations strongly suggest that the crisis is not about governance or accountability but about control -control of federal allocations, control of internally generated revenue, and control of political power in Rivers State.” They warned that such claims “strike at the heart of democratic governance and must not be ignored by the Nigerian state.”
On financial matters, the organisations appealed to President Tinubu to order a thorough probe into funds received and expended during the six-month emergency rule in Rivers State.
They disclosed that the state “reportedly received no less than N254.37 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee between March and August 2025,” averaging about N42.40 billion monthly. They alleged that despite a probe announced by the House of Assembly, there were “strong indications” that the exercise was “merely cosmetic.”
More troubling, they claimed that “state resources were shared during the emergency rule, with lawmakers loyal to the FCT Minister allegedly receiving as much as N350 million each from funds exceeding N360 billion left behind by the suspended Governor.” If true, they said, this would amount to “a betrayal of public trust on a scale that demands urgent national attention.”
Among their key demands to the President are the immediate termination of all impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara, an independent investigation into the conduct of the Rivers State House of Assembly, a presidentially ordered probe into allegations of conditional political settlements, and a comprehensive forensic audit of all funds received and expended during the emergency rule.
They urged President Tinubu to act swiftly to prevent a dangerous national precedent, saying: “Governor Siminalayi Fubara must be allowed to govern. Rivers State must be allowed to breathe. Nigeria’s democracy must be protected.”
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