A group of lawyers operating under the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) has initiated a legal and political campaign to recall 26 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, including Speaker Martin Amaewhule, in response to impeachment proceedings targeting Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu.
The recall effort, announced on Friday, January 9, 2026, comes amid mounting political tensions in Rivers State triggered by the legislature’s decision earlier this week to commence impeachment proceedings against the governor. The move has sharply divided political actors, civil society groups and grassroots organisations across the state.
In a letter dated January 8, 2026, and addressed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the ALDRAP wrote: “Notice of commencement of recall of Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and 25 other legislators … who signed the impeachment notice dated 8th January 2026.”
The lawyers’ association demanded certified true copies (CTCs) of the voters’ registers for all state constituencies in Rivers State, which are a constitutional prerequisite to initiating a recall process. ALDRAP warned that it would seek judicial intervention if INEC fails to release the documents expeditiously.
According to the association, several of its members are registered voters and constituents in the affected districts, which they argue empowers them legally to pursue recall proceedings against the lawmakers currently facing backlash for supporting the impeachment bid.
In its formal communications, ALDRAP questioned the legal basis of the impeachment notice, asserting that the process was at odds with the Supreme Court’s February 2025 judgment that called on Rivers lawmakers to resolve political disputes amicably and in peaceful harmony with the executive branch. The association cited this precedent in calling the impeachment move “belligerent” and contrary to constitutional norms.
The group also argued that parts of the impeachment notice were technically flawed. Among other claims, they said the impeachment letter improperly addressed the governor, a point ALDRAP termed a “fundamental flaw” rendering the notice “dead on arrival.”
The genesis of the lawyers’ recall initiative lies in the controversial action by lawmakers on Thursday, January 8, 2026, when the Rivers State House of Assembly read out a notice of gross misconduct against Governor Fubara. Twenty-six lawmakers signed the impeachment notice, accusing the governor of unauthorised spending and other breaches of the constitution.
While the Assembly has maintained that its action is constitutional and not directed by any outside political actor, its move has deepened an already existing political crisis in the state, which has been marked by rivalries between Fubara and factions loyal to his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
In the wake of the impeachment and subsequent recall threat, the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) publicly rejected the impeachment process, describing it as “destabilising and unnecessary,” particularly given that the state budget approved under emergency rule remains in effect until August 2026.
Also, the Coalition of Councillorship Candidates for Grassroots Governance condemned the impeachment action as “lawless,” “morally bankrupt,” and “politically reckless,” warning that continued legislative action could erode public trust and democratic will.
Both groups echoed ALDRAP’s broader concerns that the impeachment proceedings may have wider political motivations and could exacerbate tensions in Nigeria’s fourth most populous state.
