By Elizabeth Chukwuma
Those who thinks that Simanayi Fubara, the Opobo/Nkro born politician and suspended governor of Rivers stateand Ngozi Odu, the state Deputy Governor, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will fully spend the six months suspension at the first instance would be disappointed.
This is because the Nigerian President, wand Nesom Wike the minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, who had fallen out politically with his successor Gov. Fubara, appears to have under pressure to reinstall the suspended elected governor.
Apearing on Arise Television recently, Government Ekpemupolo, popular, Tompolo, , a-one- time militant Leader in the Niger Delta region, and who incidentally is the Chairman of Tanita Security Services Nigerian Limited overseeing oil-pipeline surveillance and combating the activities of crude oil thieves in the entire Niger Delta region comprising of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross river, Edo, Delta, Imo, Ondo and Rivers state, had revealed that the duo are making efforts to calm frayed nerves in the oil Rivers state’’ to ensure reinstatement of suspended Gov. Fubara int office’’, ahead of the 2027, general elections.
The suspended Rivers state governor who has the backing of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar , during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Administration and the Opposition Peoples Democratic, PDP, Presidential Candidate in the last 2023, general elections and the National Executive Council, NEC, of the party was said to have met President Tinubu, during his two weeks working tour of France and United Kingdom, UK, in London, to seek a solution to the ongoing crisis in Rivers state. The meeting was said to have been at the insistence of the suspended Rivers state governor but details of their discussions remain a closely guided secret. The duo were said to have met on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
There are rumours making the rounds that the suspended Rivers state governor who is desperate to regain his position had master-minded the Coalition of women under the aegis of Rivers Women for Sim, RWUS, staged protest in PortHarcourt, the state capital on Thursday, April 24, 2025, calling for the ‘’restoration of peace in Rivers state and the reinstalment of suspended Gov. Fubara ‘’.The protesting Rivers Women, across political divide were said to have also called for the reinstatement of other elected officials in the state.
Wike’s supporters, in turn, were said to have organized a counter-rally in Yenagoa, Capital of Bayelsa state amidst tight security, when gunmen invaded the venue on Saturday, April 26, throwing the people into confusion as people ran Helter skelter for their safety.
Many believe that because ‘’there is no concrete action yet to implement the proposed reconciliation between suspended Gov. Fubara and his supporters and the FCT minister and his supporters’’ that may have given room to the Rivers women rally in support of Gov. Fubara and the counter-rally in Yenagoa, by Wike’s supporters to have taken place.
Rotimi Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers state and an arch-critic of Tinubu, who had removed Gov. Fubara, an elected governor of River states hiding under the cover of the 1999 Constitution as amended, appears to have realized that remaining outside the power brokers cycle in the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, would not be to his own favour that he had made a U-turn in criticizing President Tinubu.
The former Presidential Candidate of the ruling APC, in the 2022, party primaries, won by the former Lagos state governor and who had beatten Atiku of the PDP and flag bearers of other parties that had contested the 2023, general elections, had said that ‘’President Tinubu did not break the Law when he declared a state of Emergency in Rivers state’’ which had led to the appointment of Vie Admiral Ibok-Eke Ekwe Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff, who incidentally was from Cross river state during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration as the Sole Administrator of Rivers state.
There are fears in political circles that suspended Gov. Fubara, who had been boxed to a corner might consider decamping to the APC, to retain his exalted political office in Rivers state. There are indications that he might want to follow foot- steps of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, an ex-governor of Delta state and Vice-Presidential Candidate of Atiku, the former Presidential Flag bearer of the PDP, in the 2023, elections who alongside Sheriff Oborewori, his successor in office and the state serving Commissioners, who are believed to be loyal to him to decamp to the ruling APC, ahead of the 2027, general election.
Many believe that the same way Senator Okowa, Gov. Oborewori, elected on the platform of the PDP, in the 2023, general elections in Delata state and his commissioners were blackmailed to join the APC, is the same way that the APC, chieftains who determined to kill the Opposition PDP, and turn Nigeria into one party state will use on suspended Gov. Fubara of Rivers state to bend him.
There is no gain saying the fact that President Tinubu who is determined to win his 2027, re0election bid appears to have changed his political strategy as a master planner to win all the states in the Niger Delta region, particular, Delta and Rivers state. It was not surprising why he is Not ready to let go, Wike, described as a political force in Rivers state and to bring Senator Okowa, into the APC, fold , to enhance the party chances of winning the state.
Nigerians are watching to see how the duo of Wike, the FCT, minister and former Gov. Okowa, of Delta state would pave the way for Tinubu , to win Rivers and Delta states described as traditional strong holds of the PDP in the upcoming 2027, elections.
