For many political pundits and analysts, it was not a question of will the bubble burst but when. The agelong saying of he who rides on a Tiger’s back to power should know he would soon end up in the tummy of the Tiger. That almost played out in Rivers State on Monday when a faction of the State Assembly loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital territory, made a bold move to impeach the governor.

Former Governor Wike and incumbent Governor Fubara have been allies and collaborators in the politics of Rivers state. As Accountant General of the State, Governor Fubara was one of the few close associates and confidants of Governor Wike while in power. Fubara’s enthronement as Governor of the state was believed to be Wike’s safety valve against trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) because a governor enjoys immunity from trial, hence his preference of Fubara.

The toll of the crisis rocking the political atmosphere in Rivers State escalated at the weekend when former Governor Wike allegedly visited the state and a plan was hatched to impeach the governor, Siminalayi Fubara. This reportedly resulted in the burning of the building housing the chamber of the State House of Assembly. This has led to a chain of events that have plunged the state into anxieties and uncertainties.

Rivers State has found itself in simmering political tension lately as the rift between the former governor of the state, Nyesome Wike, and his successor, Siminalaye Fubara, as the state house of assembly filed the notice of impeachment against the governor on Sunday, an action that allegedly resulted in a fire outbreak at the state house of assembly on Sunday to avoid the removal of the governor.

During the process, the Rivers State House of Assembly also impeached three lawmakers. However, in what seemed like a plot twist, the impeached lawmakers teamed up with their supporters by impeaching the 24 members of the House of Assembly and the speaker of the House.

The lawmakers, however, elected Edison Ehie as the new speaker. Justifying the decision of the House, Edison Ehie, maintained that the principals of the house failed to adhere to the principles of democracy.

“Regrettably, it has come to my attention that some members of our Assembly have fallen short of these principles (principles of democracy).

“In light of their actions, which undermine the trust and faith you have bestowed upon us, I have decided to suspend the defaulted members from their legislative duties.

“Rest assured, this decision was not made lightly. We are committed to ensuring that the Rivers State House of Assembly continues to be a beacon of hope and progress for all our people. We will work tirelessly to restore your trust in our institution and fulfil the promises we made to you.

“I urge you, my fellow citizens, to remain steadfast in your support for a united and prosperous Rivers State. Together, we will overcome challenges and build a future where honesty, accountability, and transparency prevail.

“Thank you for your unwavering trust and understanding. Let us move forward, hand in hand, towards a brighter tomorrow”, he said.

The lawmakers also impeached the Chief Judge of the State, with the notice that the governor should appoint an acting chief judge in the state pending the appointment of the new head of the judiciary.

In addition, the incident compelled the governor to take a political stand today, Monday, 30th, 2023, by dismissing all 23 local government chairmen throughout the state. This was his way of breaking up Nyesome Wike’s base of support and resistance in the face of an impending attempt to remove him from office.

The drama continued when the governor dissolved the state executive council, believing that the majority of the commissioners in the cabinet were appointed by the current minister of the Federal Capital Territory and owed him their loyalty.

Addressing the threat of impeachment earlier today, Governor Fubara insisted that he had committed any offence to be impeached from the position he has only held for a few months.

The governor who visited the burnt house of assembly accused the law enforcement agencies of being compromised. He also alleged that he was shot at by the police.

“Let them come out and tell Rivers people the offence I have committed to warrant any impeachment,“Let me assure the people of Rivers that I will continue to ensure that you get the dividends of democracy. At the appropriate time, I will address the press.”

“From what I have seen, the security agency is even compromised. They were shooting at me directly, but it doesn’t matter; somebody will die one day. When people here ask, who is this Fubara? He is that man that was killed for his struggle. I am not against anybody. I’m not planning anything against anybody that I don’t know where these things are coming from”.

Meanwhile, as the events continue to unfold, there seems to be power tussle and power struggles among the supporters of the two powerful people in the state as political realignments have begun in earnest.