In just a few days, the political landscape of Rivers State is set to undergo a major shift. On September 18, the six-month emergency rule declared by President Bola Tinubu on March 18, 2025, will expire, paving the way for the return of suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and the 32-member House of Assembly. FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had previously indicated that the successful local government elections on August 30 cleared the path for their return.
Fubara’s return marks him as the third governor since 1999 to resume office after a state of emergency, following in the footsteps of Joshua Dariye of Plateau and Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti. This contrasts with the emergency rule declared in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa in 2013, where governors retained their positions. Now, the people of Rivers State hold their breath, filled with both hope and skepticism about what the future holds.
The Legacy of a Sole Administrator
Many people in Rivers State are openly criticizing the tenure of the Sole Administrator (SOLAD), Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas (retd.), who they claim overstepped his constitutional boundaries. Ibas’s critics argue that he sacked and appointed members of various boards and agencies without considering the welfare of the people, despite being instructed by President Tinubu to simply restore peace.
Ibas’s policies and decisions came under fire, particularly his budget of N24 billion for CCTV installation, N30 billion for gunboats, and N23 billion for contingencies. This was seen as a tone-deaf allocation, especially as the once-pristine Port Harcourt, known as the “garden city,” regressed into a “garbage city” under his watch.
The conduct of the August 30 local government elections was perhaps the most contentious part of his tenure. With the All Progressives Congress (APC) declared the winner of 20 out of 23 chairmanship seats and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winning only three, many questioned the role of a military officer in what should have been a democratic process.
Dr. Jackson Omenazu, Chancellor of the International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights (ISSJHR), stated that Ibas’s actions “stood constitutionality on its head.” He described the council elections as one of the darkest chapters in Rivers’ democratic history, claiming that the results were pre-determined and the entire process lacked credibility. A local cleric, Apostle Eugene Ogu, echoed these sentiments, pointing out that no projects were initiated under the sole administrator and that the local government elections were a “mess” that a court would one day have to reverse.
Opunabo Inkor-Tariah, a former media aide to Nyesom Wike, highlighted the paradox of the situation, noting that Ibas himself had once praised the ongoing projects he inspected—which were initiated by Governor Fubara—only to neglect them. “Vice Admiral Ibas will account for every kobo he collected from federal allocation and the IGR,” he said, citing the state’s monthly internal revenue of over N20 billion.
The Road Ahead for Fubara
Despite the controversy, the people of Rivers State have high hopes for Governor Fubara’s return. They expect him to prioritize infrastructural development and ensure peace in the state. However, the political landscape is shifting. Many of Fubara’s former loyalists have already switched allegiance to the new African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, led by Wike’s political rival, Rotimi Amaechi.
These supporters feel that Fubara’s return will not benefit them politically, especially with the local government structure now allegedly under Wike’s control. An anonymous activist confided that they feel “thrown under the bus,” as the governor has not provided any clear direction since his suspension.
In a direct message to the returning governor, the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Rivers State chapter, called on Fubara to immediately scrutinize the financial transactions of the emergency rule regime. Sunny Dada, the CLO Chairman, insisted that the people have a right to know how their resources were spent under Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas.
Dada also urged Fubara to discard the SOLAD’s budget and present a fresh, people-oriented budget that will be approved by the Rivers State House of Assembly. He advised the governor to “shun sycophants” and focus on delivering good governance. Dr. Jackson Omenazu added that Fubara’s first order of business should be to cancel the recent local government elections, which he called an “insult to the people.”
As the state sits on the edge, political commentator Engr. Franklin Eyo pointed out that while the expectations for Fubara are mixed, the ultimate goal is to transform the current fragile peace into sustained democratic progress. The core question for the days ahead is whether Fubara and Wike can move beyond political rivalries to establish a genuine, lasting peace that benefits all of Rivers State.
