Siminalayi Fubara is set to return as Governor of Rivers State on September 18, ending the six-month state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu in March.
However, his reinstatement comes with new restrictions that will reduce his control over key governance areas in the state, Business Day reports.
APC’s Electoral Gains Shape Conditions
The decision follows last weekend’s local government elections, where the All Progressives Congress (APC) won 20 out of the 23 council seats. Sources told Business Day that this outcome shifts significant power to the APC and forms part of the conditions for Fubara’s reinstatement.
Upon resuming office, Fubara will:
Have no authority over local governments or the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Be given a list of commissioners from Abuja, which he will be required to forward to the House of Assembly for approval.
Have major appointments, project approvals, and spending decisions coordinated from Abuja to avoid renewed conflicts between him, lawmakers, and political stakeholders.
Political Realignment on the Table
Fubara has also been offered the option of joining the APC. However, according to Abuja’s directive, any defection must:
Be his personal decision,
Be carried out individually without transferring his entire political structure, and Come with full compliance with party obligations, including payment of dues.
Earlier, the governor had considered moving his entire political camp to the APC in search of federal backing against his estranged mentor, Nyesom Wike. Abuja clarified, however, that such a move must be made on a personal basis.
A top source explained:
“He will not control the local government and the Rivers State House of Assembly. This is to ensure that peace reigns. On his return, he will be handed the list of commissioners, which he will pass on to the House of Assembly for approval. If he wants to join the APC now, he must do so alone and pay his dues.”
Mixed Political Reactions
The Rivers APC has pledged cooperation with Fubara, citing its victory in the local government elections as a strong foundation for collaboration.
The PDP, meanwhile, has expressed concern, describing the arrangement as troubling for democracy and warning of its potential impact on the party’s influence in Rivers State.
Tinubu Meets Ibas Ahead of Transition
Ahead of the end of the emergency rule, President Tinubu met with Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The closed-door meeting, which lasted over two hours, centered on transition arrangements, security updates, and measures to ensure a smooth handover.
Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff, has overseen Rivers State during the six-month emergency, exercising both executive and legislative powers to restore order following violent clashes and legislative paralysis.
