Nigeria’s political week offered a sobering picture of how power is truly exercised in the country.
In Rivers State, an impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara exposed the destructive reach of godfatherism and the fragility of presidentially brokered peace.
At the national level, the PDP, weakened by years of infighting and elite exits, began a quiet rescue mission by courting Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and Goodluck Jonathan.
The APC, meanwhile, found itself defending a reputation for sheltering corruption suspects, even as Atiku warned that no aspirant in the ADC would step down amid pressure, and that the ruling party was trying to suffocate the ADC from within.
Hovering over everything was Nyesom Wike, whose grip on Rivers politics once again collided with national party authority, raising questions about where real power lies in Nigeria’s federal system.
1. Rivers Assembly Moves to Impeach Governor Fubara
The Rivers State House of Assembly Rivers opened impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Ngozi Oduh, alleging “gross misconduct” spanning public finance, legislative obstruction, appointment screening, withheld salaries, and refusal to implement financial autonomy for the legislature and judiciary.
Why it Matters:
This is the voice of Esau with the hand of Jacob. On paper, it is a constitutional process driven by lawmakers. In reality, it carries the unmistakable signature of Nyesom Wike, Fubara’s political godfather turned nemesis, whose long shadow hangs over every major decision in the state. The move also effectively shreds the fragile peace deal earlier brokered by President Bola Tinubu to stabilise Rivers after months of crisis. consequently, it is ordinary Rivers people who pay the price for an elite feud that refuses to end.
2. PDP Plans Meeting With Obi, Atiku Ahead of 2027
PDP figures say the party plans to meet Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar while consulting elder statesmen. The outreach comes amid a leadership crisis and competing factions seeking legitimacy, even as key PDP alumni now operate under the ADC coalition umbrella.
Why it Matters:
This outreach is less about nostalgia and more about survival. After years of defections, expulsions, and factional leadership, the party is trying to rebuild its relevance by calling back its most recognisable figures. Both Obi and Atiku left the PDP because of deep frustrations over internal democracy, zoning, and the dominance of entrenched interests. The unanswered question is whether their return, if it happens, would come with genuine reforms, fair zoning, and credible primaries, or simply a recycled version of the same politics that caused the collapse in the first place.
3. Joining APC Won’t Shield Anyone From EFCC Prosecution — Nat’l Vice Chair
APC North-East vice chair Mustapha Salihu denied that defectors join the ruling party to evade EFCC prosecution, calling the claim blackmail. He urged petitions against corrupt APC figures, responding to Babachir Lawal’s assertion that APC is becoming “a haven for EFCC fugitives”.
Why it Matters:
Salihu’s statement is welcome in theory, but rings hollow against the APC’s long history of welcoming high-profile defectors facing corruption allegations with open arms. When corruption cases fade or freeze once politicians cross over to the ruling party, anti graft institutions lose their moral authority. High profile figures with corruption baggage, including Yahaya Bello, who was declared wanted by the EFCC, have faced slow, stalled, or strangely gentle enforcement, even as the President publicly sent Bello birthday wishes.
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4. 2027: “No Aspirant Is Stepping Down”: Atiku Rejects Pressure Over ADC Ticket
Atiku Abubakar declared that no one would be forced to step aside in the ADC’s 2027 presidential race, rejecting pressure for a consensus or zoned ticket. He accused the APC of trying to weaken the opposition and sabotage, insisting that the ADC will run open, competitive selection while building structures nationwide.
Why it Matters:
Atiku is trying to frame the ADC as a democratic alternative in a political environment where parties often impose candidates. Yet Nigeria’s opposition history shows that too many powerful aspirants can also tear a coalition apart. The ADC now faces the delicate task of balancing openness with discipline, or risk repeating the fragmentation that has long plagued opposition politics.
5. ‘No-Go Area’: Wike Warns APC Nat’l Secretary to Hands-off Rivers Politics
Wike warned APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru to stop commenting on Rivers politics, declaring the state a “no-go area” for outsiders. Basiru fired back, arguing that Governor Fubara is now in the APC and therefore fair game for party scrutiny, adding that Wike, not being a member of the APC, has no right to police its internal discussions.
Why it Matters:
This clash lays bare Wike’s extraordinary dominance over Rivers. He acts as if the state is his personal fiefdom, deciding who may speak and who must stay silent. Basiru’s response, however, exposes a growing tension, Wike may rule Rivers politically, but he no longer controls the party structures now claiming Fubara. It is a collision between personal power and party authority.
Conclusion
This week showed Nigeria at the mercy of its strongest men rather than its strongest institutions. In Rivers, godfatherism is choking democracy. In Abuja, parties are scrambling to rebuild or defend themselves as 2027 approaches.
The deeper story is the same everywhere, power is concentrated, accountability is selective, and politics is still more about who controls whom than about how citizens are governed. Until that changes, every election cycle will bring more drama, but little democratic progress.