Rivers Crisis: Ex Parte Court Order, Fubara and Impeachment Battle Explained

The ongoing dispute between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly has deepened following an ex parte court order restraining the Chief Judge from constituting a panel to probe alleged gross misconduct. Though temporary, the order carries legal force and must be obeyed pending a motion on notice. The case raises critical constitutional questions on separation of powers, judicial oversight, and the extent to which courts can intervene in legislative impeachment processes without undermining legislative autonomy.

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The oil-rich state has been engulfed by a protracted crisis that has seen Governor Siminalayi Fubara at loggerheads with members of the Assembly.

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Rivers Crisis Deepens as Governor Fubara Declares Himself “Number One” After APC Defection, Fires Back at Wike-Loyal Lawmakers

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has stirred fresh political controversy after declaring himself the “number one” person in the state following his defection from the PDP to the ruling APC. Speaking at an event in Port Harcourt, Fubara revealed that his APC membership form carries the number 001, which he said symbolises his position as the state’s leader. His remarks came amid renewed accusations from lawmakers loyal to his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who alleged that the governor failed to honour agreements and misled the public about engagements with the House of Assembly. The declaration further escalates the long-running political battle between Fubara and the Wike camp, highlighting deepening tensions in Rivers State politics ahead of the 2027 elections.

Rufai Oseni challenges Supreme Court over Rivers crisis.

Arise anchor, Mr Rufai Oseni, has challenged the Supreme Court to hear the case filed against the state of emergency rule and the sole administrator in Rivers State.

Oseni, who spoke on the Morning Show, argued that the deliberate decision to delay hearing the case was not the appropriate way to run a democracy.

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According to him, the forthcoming local government election in Rivers is tied to the Supreme Court’s verdict and the future of Rivers.

His words: “When the story of democracy is written in this country many years from now, we will ask questions about what the court did. Today, my challenge is to the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Many PDP governors filed a case against the state of emergency and the sole administrator.

“Why has the Supreme Court not heard that case, or do they want to delay it until the expiration of the six months’ state of emergency? It looks like that. Since the case was filed, the Supreme Court has not sat on it. If the Supreme Court does not hear a case like this, we will not be able to determine whether the aberration of the state of emergency was right. Do you know what it will breed? Other presidents will use that state of emergency clause to settle political scores, and that is how Nigeria begins to disintegrate morally. I might be wrong, but here is my challenge: I do not think the Supreme Court will hear that case, it can prove me wrong. If it hears that case, it will be a miracle. I will come on air and celebrate the Supreme Court. But my gut instincts tell me otherwise, because that is the bane of development in Rivers. The fact that the court has not determined the illegality of that aberration makes everyone hide under it. And this is not the first time.

“The last time a President declared a state of emergency and the case was taken to court, the court also delayed until it was overtaken by events. When we eventually write about democracy, the role played by the courts will matter. I want to challenge the Supreme Court to save democracy and hear this case.

“Going back to the ongoing aberration, the Rivers State electoral laws are clear: you must give a 90-day threshold. As we speak, no such threshold was given. They have simply gone ahead to determine the date of an election under a sole administrator. In fact, I will read some of the demands put forward by elders in Rivers State. They said there is no legally constituted Rivers State Independence Electoral Commission, RSIEC, as mandated by Section 235 and Section 12 of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Law.

Fashola Weighs In On Lagos Street Naming Controversy, Warns Against Erasing History.

Former governor of Lagos State and ex-Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, has called for the preservation of Lagos history to avoid distortion and promote values, particularly as the discussion on street naming in Lagos continues to create controversy.
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He stated this on Tuesday at the public presentation of “Discover Lagos State: A History Puzzle Book (Volume 1)” held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

At the event, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, also echoed the importance of documenting the state’s history, hailing the Lagos State Records and Archive Bureau for the timely presentation of the book.

Fashola referenced the works in the digital archives of the University of Glasgow, noting that the past works of the university’s staff and students played a role in influencing the historical development in other countries, even in the area of landmarks.

He said records also contain information about the first Nigerian students at the University of Glasgow at the time, including Dr Issac Ladipo Oluwole, who was enrolled in 1913 and graduated in 1918.

Referencing the archive, Fashola said, “Dr Ladipo Oluwole returned to Nigeria to become the first African medical officer of health in the Lagos colony.

“He pioneered school health services, with school inspection and vaccination of children in their schools, and started the first Nigerian school of hygiene at Yaba in Lagos in 1920. So that’s the Ladipo Oluwole. But the records were kept well in Glasgow, Scotland.

“So those of us who drive through streets such as Ladipo Oluwole Street in Ikeja will probably now understand and contextualise the contributions of such a man and why it was considered such a high honour to immortalise him by naming a street in his memory.

“But it is perhaps instructive that we are discussing street naming and street unnaming and I keep my gunpowder dry,” he added.

“Today I reiterate those words about street naming and Dr Oluwole and with a greater conviction to reinforce my message that the preservation of our history and the documentation of our progress should be taken seriously,” Fashola said.