As Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State prepares to return to the Government House, Port Harcourt, on September 18, there are strong indications that his support base has waned with some allies saying he will return as a lame duck.
Since the declaration of an emergency rule on the state and suspension of the governor by President Bola Tinubu on March 18, 2025, following political tensions and the alleged attack on oil facilities by suspected militants, not much has been heard from the embattled governor.
After his reconciliation with his political godfather and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, all support groups for the two political leaders had collapsed.
Two groups in particular, the ‘Simplified Family’, loyal to Fubara, and that of the FCT minister known as the ‘Wikematics’ have been dissolved.
There were pockets of speculation that the State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd) was lobbying for an extension of the emergency rule, a claim his media aide, Hector Igbikiowubo, dismissed as false.
Igbikiowubo, during a chat with Sunday PUNCH, said his principal remained committed to leaving office when his tenure ends, but emphasised the need to complete projects initiated under his watch.
He noted that the administrator had been touring project sites to ensure contractors were working according to specifications.
He said, “When you have a construction project ongoing and the contractor has been mobilised, there is a limit to how much you can push. You can only hope that the project proceeds apace. You can’t expect that because of an emergency situation they will cut corners to finish when the reality dictates otherwise.
“We are firmly committed to exiting office, which is why the National Assembly gave approval for RSIEC to proceed with the local government elections to restore democracy at that level.”
Fubara loses hold on power
With the LG elections concluded, the governor has lost grip of the grass roots.
Of the 23 LGAs in the state, the APC won 20, including Fubara Opobo-Nkoro LGA, while the PDP won only three, with Wike retaining his Obio/Akpor LGA.
However, it is said that all those who emerged winners in both the APC and PDP are loyalists of Wike.
The state House of Assembly, is led by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, a loyalist and kinsman of the FCT minister.
Sunday PUNCH gathered that Fubara, who boycotted the LG elections, had yet to return from his trip abroad.
On the preparations for the governor’s return to office, his media aide, Jerry Omatsogunwa, said residents were excited.
Omatsogunwa stated,
“It is about Rivers people. Rivers people are excited. You know a man that has shown them that he loves the entire state and such things happen, it is natural that now that the date is very close, Rivers’ people are happy that he will soon come and complete his good works.
“It has nothing to do with me, but Rivers people in general are expectant and ready to welcome their most loved governor because they are the ultimate beneficiaries of the projects. So they are waiting for him to come back and continue from where he stopped.”
