Rivers Prepares for Fubara’s Return as Ibas Defends Six-Month Tenure 

Rivers State is bracing for the return of Governor Siminalayi Fubara on September 18, six months after he was suspended under emergency rule declared by President Bola Tinubu.

The man who held sway during that period, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (retd), has defended his administration, insisting he carried out the President’s mandate and helped stabilise a state once on the brink of chaos.

But opposition parties disagree. The Peoples Democratic Party dismissed Ibas’s six-month stay as “a waste of time,” branding it unconstitutional and a violation of democratic norms. The party also demanded an inquiry into how the state’s resources were managed under his watch.

The Labour Party echoed those concerns, alleging the emergency rule was designed to protect the interests of President Tinubu and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. Similarly, the New Nigeria Peoples Party described Ibas’s rule as an exercise in futility, saying it lacked legitimacy from day one.

In contrast, the All Progressives Congress praised Ibas for maintaining order and safeguarding citizens’ rights. The party argued that he helped preserve democratic processes, including the conduct of local government elections, and described him as a stabilising force in turbulent times.

THE BACKDROP OF A CRISIS

Rivers had endured nearly two years of political turmoil, driven largely by a bitter power struggle between Wike and his successor Fubara. The rift brought governance to a standstill until President Tinubu intervened on March 18 with a state of emergency.

Two days later, both chambers of the National Assembly endorsed the move, sidelining Fubara and the state legislature. Eleven PDP governors challenged the decision at the Supreme Court, but the case—SC/CV/329/2025—remains unresolved.

As tempers cooled following a reconciliation between Wike and Fubara, the state held local government elections on August 30. The APC won 20 chairmanship seats while the PDP secured three. With his tenure nearing its end, Ibas has begun the handover process ahead of Fubara’s reinstatement.

THANKSGIVING AND FINAL APPEAL

At an interdenominational thanksgiving service in Port Harcourt on Sunday, Ibas urged Rivers people to put aside bitterness and place the state’s unity above personal interests.

Quoting scripture, he declared: “The seeds of reconciliation have been planted. These seeds need your deliberate nurture to take root. Our collective sacrifices and commitment to peace is what we must all strive to guide at this time.”

He cautioned political actors against returning to division, stressing that “no political victory or personal gain is worth the blood of our brothers and sisters.” He also appealed to the youth not to allow themselves to be used for violence.

Notably absent from the thanksgiving were both Wike and Fubara, as well as many traditional rulers. But permanent secretaries, local government chairmen, service commanders, and other senior officials were in attendance.

Delivering the sermon, Pastor Organ Barasin said the state must reflect on its troubled recent past, warning that the pre-emergency climate could easily have spiraled into bloodshed without intervention.

As Rivers counts down to September 18, the spotlight shifts back to Fubara, whose reinstatement marks the end of a turbulent chapter—and the start of yet another test of unity in the oil-rich state.