End of Emergency Rule In Rivers: Fubara’s London Return Imminent

With barely a week to the end of the initial six-month emergency rule imposed on Rivers State, supporters of the suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, are awaiting his return from London.

Not much has been heard of Fubara after the celebrated reconciliation with his estranged political godfather and predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

Fubara, a member of the main opposing Peoples Democratic Party, was conspicuously absent during the August 30 local government elections, even as he lost his Local Government Area, Opobo/Nkoro, to the All Progressives Congress. Of the 23 LGAs in the State, the PDP won only three, while the APC won 20.

Close aides to the suspended Governor, who confided in our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said Fubara travelled to London and had yet to return to the country.

On the evening of March 18, 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State. He cited prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats as reasons for the extraordinary measure. This followed an emergency meeting with security and intelligence chiefs at the Aso Rock Villa earlier that day.

Tinubu also appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) as the sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs until normalcy is restored. Ibas served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Rivers crisis, he said, paralysed governance in the oil-rich state. It was the high point of a months-long power tussle between Fubara and Wike.

The Rivers political turmoil escalated in December 2023 after Fubara demolished the state’s House of Assembly complex, leading to a prolonged battle over the legitimacy of the legislative arm.

It worsened when 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike defected from the PDP to the APC, prompting legal disputes over their status.

On February 28, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that the lawmakers remained valid members of the Assembly. It also faulted Fubara’s actions as being unconstitutional and despotic. The verdict noted that the state had collapsed into one-man rule due to the absence of a functioning legislature.

Despite the ruling, governance remained stalled, with the executive and legislature at loggerheads. As of March 2025, the state’s annual Appropriation Bill had not been passed.

A day before Tinubu imposed emergency rule, an explosion rocked a section of the Trans Niger Pipeline in the Bodo Community of Gonna Local Government Area in Rivers State. The following day, another explosion severed a pipeline manifold in the Omwawriwa axis of Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of the State. The President expressed concern over vandalism by militants, allegedly acting in support of Fubara.

The incidents occurred amid frantic efforts by the Tinubu administration to increase Nigeria’s lagging crude oil output and curb leaks.

Meanwhile, Rivers State citizens, especially Fubara’s supporters, are anxiously gearing up for his reinstatement in office as speculations of an emergency-rule extension grow.

Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media, Jerry Omatsogunwa, attested to what he called an excitement in the air, even though there are no arrangements yet to receive the Governor.

“It is about Rivers people. Rivers people are excited. You know a man who has shown them that he loves the entire state, and such a thing happens; it is natural that now, with the date very close, they should be feeling a certain way. Rivers people are happy that he will soon come and complete his good works,” Omatsogunwa stated.

He added, “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.”

Asked if the Governor has returned from his trip, he said, “Not yet.”

Media aide to the State Administrator, Hector Igbikiowubo, denied reports of an emergency rule extension. Igbikiowubo affirmed that Ibas will leave office once his six-month tenure ends and is eager to complete projects initiated during his tenure.

He noted that the administrator had been touring project sites to ensure contractors mobilised to the site were working according to specifications.

“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 reality dictates otherwise.

“We are firmly committed to exiting office, which is why the National Assembly approved for RSIEC to proceed with the local government elections to restore democracy at that level,” he explained,

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Alex Agwanwor, said workers are anxiously waiting to receive Fubara, whom he described as “worker-friendly.”

He stated, “Our expectations remain the same. The Governor is the same person, and I don’t think he will change when he comes back.

“We have a very good relationship with him, and we hope that he will continue to advance the state and the welfare of workers.”

Asked if the NLC is preparing to welcome the suspended Governor, Agwanwor said the Congress will welcome Fubara and continue to work with him.

“I don’t know about any preparation. That is left for the politicians. But when the Governor comes back, we will welcome him and continue to work with him.

“We are going to work with any government in Power because we are apolitical. Our major interest is the Welfare of our workers and then the larger Rivers people,” Agwanwor emphasised.

Meanwhile, some residents expressed happiness that the emergency rule would end soon. However, they urged the speedy completion of several ongoing infrastructure projects with a renewed focus on job creation.

A civil servant who preferred to be identified as Precious told our correspondent, “We want the trans-Kalabari Ring Road, the Port Harcourt Ring Road and the construction of Buguma, Degema-Abonnema Road to be completed almost immediately. The Governor should revisit agricultural projects to boost food production and focus on strengthening healthcare delivery.”

A resident who identified herself as Mrs Thomson urged true reconciliation in the interest of the state, saying security should also be improved.

“We want security to improve in the state. People are jobless, and youths are unemployed. We want meaningful engagement of the youth, and we also want absolute, real peace.

“All the political gladiators should come together and unite to promote proper governance,” she stated.

Meanwhile, a group, Rivers Women Unite for Sim, expressed joy that their months-long prayer for Fubara’s return is within grasp.