Urging Rivers’ Lawmakers To Be Beyond Reproach -By Isaac Asabor

Democracy is not a playground for political vendettas. It is a system built on accountability, transparency, and the trust of the people. Yet in Rivers State, what should be a legislative body devoted to governance and development is rapidly becoming a theater of manipulation, personal grudges, and political intimidation. Trending reports of an alleged plot by the state’s lawmakers to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara, purportedly at the behest of former Governor Nyesom Wike, are not just disturbing; they are a blatant threat to the state’s governance and democratic integrity.

Let us not mince words: if the Rivers State House of Assembly allows itself to become a tool for political revenge, it ceases to serve the people and becomes a pawn of godfatherism. Godfatherism, the undue influence of powerful political figures over supposedly independent officeholders, has long plagued Nigerian politics. It undermines democracy, stifles development, and places personal loyalty above public interest. In this case, the alleged plot to remove Fubara smacks of exactly that: a group of legislators prioritizing the whims of a former governor over the welfare of the citizens they swore to serve.

It is ironic, even tragic, that these lawmakers, most of who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the PDP, would be susceptible to the manipulations of a suspended political patron. Their defection was sold to the public as a move toward political independence, yet actions now suggest the opposite. Allegedly acting as Wike’s instruments, they threaten to stall governance in a state that demands urgent action on development, infrastructure, and security. The question is stark: “Whose interests do these lawmakers really serve?”

Governor Fubara, who has consistently emphasized development and good governance, faces a direct challenge not from the electorate but from those who are meant to be his legislative partners. This is not politics; this is sabotage. The assembly, instead of deliberating on bills, budgets, and oversight, risks being consumed by intrigue designed to frustrate an elected governor. The consequences for Rivers State are severe: stalled projects, delayed policy implementation, and a governance system paralyzed by ambition and vendetta.

Ethics, integrity, and accountability are non-negotiable for lawmakers. They are custodians of public trust. The electorate expects them to act independently, guided by the public good, not by instructions from former leaders with lingering political grudges. Anything less is a betrayal of the most sacred contract in democracy: that the people’s vote determines policy, not the desires of a political godfather.

History shows that legislatures manipulated by external interests fail spectacularly. When lawmakers allow themselves to be beholden to former governors, political patrons, or other hidden influencers, governance collapses. Public confidence erodes. Investors flee. Citizens lose hope. Rivers State cannot afford this. The stakes are too high, the resources too valuable, and the people’s expectations too pressing.

The alleged impeachment plot, if true, exposes a fundamental problem in Rivers politics: a legislative culture still trapped in the shadows of godfatherism, where power is wielded as a weapon and democracy is subverted for personal or political gain. This is a dangerous precedent. It signals to citizens and investors alike that even elected offices can be undermined by private agendas. The message is clear: loyalty to a patron is more important than duty to the people.

But there is also a moral dimension. The Bible teaches in Proverbs 29:2 that “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” Lawmakers are expected to rise above petty grievances and personal loyalties. They must act as architects of development, not saboteurs of governance. Citizens deserve more than lawmakers who treat their offices as instruments of revenge. They deserve independence, courage, and a commitment to progress.

The public cannot remain silent. Rivers State’s citizens, civil society groups, and the media must demand accountability. Transparency must be enforced in legislative proceedings, especially impeachment processes, to prevent abuse of power. Lawmakers must remember that their actions are observed not only by the electorate but by history itself. Complicity in political vendettas will leave a legacy of shame, not achievement.

Let us be clear: Governor Fubara’s administration is focused on delivering development, improving infrastructure, enhancing social services, and ensuring the welfare of citizens. Any attempt to undermine that agenda through political machinations is not opposition, it is sabotage. And those behind it, whether legislators or former governors, must be called out. Rivers State cannot thrive when governance is hostage to the whims of political godfathers.

The solution is straightforward. Lawmakers must assert their independence. Their loyalty must be to their constituents, not to former governors nursing grudges. Public institutions must enforce transparency. Citizens must hold legislators accountable. And political godfathers must be reminded that democracy is not theirs to manipulate.

Rivers State stands at a crossroads. Its House of Assembly must rise above personal politics and partisanship. It must operate beyond reproach. Anything short of that will betray the people, stall development, and embolden political manipulations. The eyes of the state, and indeed the nation, are watching. The question is not whether this body will act independently, but whether it values integrity and democracy above vendetta.

The impeachment plot, if allowed to proceed, will leave Rivers State weaker, stalled, and exposed to further political instability. Lawmakers must resist the temptation of patronage politics, prioritize governance, and remember that they are accountable first and foremost to the people. Their failure to do so would not just be a political misstep, it would be a moral failure.

Rivers’ lawmakers must be beyond reproach. The integrity of the state, the welfare of its citizens, and the credibility of its democratic institutions demand nothing less. Governor Fubara deserves a legislature that collaborates on development, not a body held hostage by the resentments of a former governor. History, voters, and posterity will judge harshly those who choose loyalty to vendetta over service to the people. Rivers State cannot wait for politicians to act responsibly, it must insist.