Socio-political activist Aisha Yesufu has voiced strong criticism of the Rivers State House of Assembly’s renewed attempt to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara, calling the move a serious distraction from the pressing issues facing the state.
Reacting to reports of the impeachment push, Yesufu described the political climate in Rivers as dominated by “childish politics,” where lawmakers appear more focused on power struggles and personal interests than addressing the needs of ordinary citizens. She highlighted the daily struggles of residents, pointing to rising living costs, unemployment, poor road infrastructure, inadequate healthcare, and growing insecurity, while lawmakers pursue internal battles rather than meaningful governance.
Yesufu also drew attention to what she sees as a structural flaw in Nigeria’s democracy, particularly in the mechanisms for holding elected officials accountable. She noted that although the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022 allow for the recall of state assembly members, the requirement that over fifty percent of registered voters must sign a petition makes the process nearly impossible.
She explained that Nigeria’s voters’ register is riddled with inaccuracies, including the names of deceased individuals, relocated voters, and other ineligible entries. Biometric verification exercises have repeatedly exposed high levels of invalid registrations, sometimes approaching half of newly recorded entries before verification. “This means the benchmark of fifty percent does not reflect the living, active electorate,” Yesufu said, adding that outdated and inaccurate data artificially inflate the figure.
Until the voters’ register is properly cleaned, revalidated, and linked to reliable identity systems, she argued, the recall mechanism remains largely symbolic, shielding lawmakers from accountability. She suggested that using actual votes cast or verified active registrants as a threshold would make legislators more answerable to the public and less prone to prioritize factional interests over citizens’ welfare.
Yesufu warned that lawmakers serving political elites rather than the people have no moral basis to remain in office. “The people of Rivers State deserve leaders who place public interest above personal ego,” she said. “They deserve accountability, integrity, and real governance. Anything less is a betrayal of the trust placed in them.”
This view, as reported by Zoyols Blog, underscores growing concerns about political maneuvers overshadowing governance and the urgent need for reforms that ensure elected officials remain accountable to the citizens they serve.
