Tension escalates in Rivers as hopes fade for Fubara’s early return

Fresh political tension is rocking Rivers State again, dimming hopes that suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara could return to office before the six-month state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu on March 18 runs its course.

Many had speculated that President Tinubu might announce Fubara’s reinstatement during his Democracy Day address on May 29. However, recent events in Port Harcourt suggest that expectation may be wishful thinking.

Drama erupted on Friday during a women’s empowerment event organised by the Office of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. The programme, which aimed to benefit 500 women across the state, took a controversial turn after some of the beneficiaries staged a walkout on Dr. Theresa Ibas, who represented the First Lady. Dr. Ibas is the wife of Rivers State’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd).

The walkout made headlines and drew a furious response from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who described the incident as a direct insult to the Presidency. Speaking through his aide, Lere Olayinka, Wike apologised to the First Lady and President Tinubu, warning that supporters of the suspended governor were “sponsoring people to insult the president and his wife under the guise of seeking peace.”

But that narrative was swiftly rejected by women groups and key Niger Delta stakeholders. Rights activist and Ijaw Republican Assembly spokesperson Annkio Briggs accused Wike of politicising the incident, insisting that the women acted on their own.

“Blaming Governor Fubara is like giving a dog a bad name to hang it,” she said. “These women mobilised from all 23 LGAs. They printed banners featuring both Mrs. Tinubu and Mrs. Fubara. They even prepared a gift for the First Lady.”

Professor Benjamin Okaba, President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), backed that view. He noted that the women wore T-shirts bearing the names of both the First Lady and Governor Fubara and described the protest as peaceful and misrepresented.

The women, operating under the banner Rivers Women Unite for Sim, also released a statement distancing Fubara from their action. “We are organic supporters, not puppets,” they said. “Governor Fubara had no hand in our protest. We did not insult the First Lady. That narrative is Wike’s usual attempt to blackmail Rivers people.”

They added: “Political power is transient. This phase will pass, and history will judge everyone involved.”

With accusations and denials flying, it’s clear that the fragile peace deal between Wike and Fubara has collapsed. And with President Tinubu caught in the crossfire, the political future of Rivers State remains uncertain, and Fubara’s return to Government House looks farther away than ever.