17/09/2025
Rivers State Braces for Tense Handover as Fubara Returns Amid Lingering Wike Shadows and Elder Warnings
By Ogungbayi Beedee Adeyemi September 17, 2025
Hours before the six-month state of emergency in Rivers State ends, Port Harcourt buzzes with unease as Governor Siminalayi Fubara prepares to resume office tomorrow, September 18. While some hail the reinstatement as a return to democracy, doubts swirl over whether true peace has been forged with his political godfather, Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Elders and analysts warn that without genuine reconciliation, the oil-rich state risks sliding back into chaos.
Rivers elders, in a statement today, praised Wike’s role in securing a truce but urged Fubara and the returning pro-Wike State House of Assembly to prioritize unity over old grudges. The plea follows a poorly attended farewell thanksgiving service for outgoing Sole Administrator Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.) on Sunday, where both Fubara and Wike and several traditional rulers were notably absent, hinting at unresolved tensions.
The Unhealed Rift: No True Peace?
The crisis, sparked by a bitter fallout between Fubara and Wike since late 2023, boiled over in March 2025 when President Bola Tinubu declared emergency rule amid pipeline vandalism by Fubara-aligned militants and fears of wider Niger Delta unrest. Fubara, his deputy Prof. Ngozi Odu, and the entire assembly were suspended, with Ibas tasked to stabilize the state. The August 30 local government elections, boycotted by Fubara’s camp, handed Wike’s allies a sweeping victory across 23 chairmanships, split between APC and PDP under his sway.
Wike, speaking after voting in those polls, expressed confidence that the emergency’s end paves the way for Fubara and the assembly to resume. But the state chairman of the African Democratic Congress called the truce superficial, describing the crisis as “politically motivated” and warning that one side clearly Wike will dictate the state’s direction. He also demanded a full accounting of Ibas’s emergency-era spending, spotlighting transparency concerns.
Social media reflects the unease. Posts on X predict fresh clashes, with one user quipping that Fubara and Wike “would still quarrel, wait and see.” Others credit the duo’s feud for enabling Ibas’s six-month stint, while pro-Wike voices frame Fubara’s return as a “second chance” to align with a broader vision, with visuals circulating of Wike’s allies arriving for the handover.
Power Tilt: Fubara’s Strings Pulled?
Fubara’s reinstatement comes with strict conditions from a Tinubu-brokered deal: no 2027 re-election bid, acceptance of Wike’s local government nominations, and no moves against the 27 pro-Wike assembly members led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule. This tilts power decisively toward Wike, who now dominates grassroots and legislative structures. A prominent APC figure advised Fubara to “sit down with Wike to appeal for freedom” on key decisions, underscoring the governor’s weakened hand.
Ibas, defending his tenure at the thanksgiving, claimed he met Tinubu’s mandate to quell unrest without major oil disruptions, urging youths to focus on peace. Transition activities, including handover notes on funds and projects, are underway, but a pending Supreme Court challenge by PDP governors looms as a potential disruptor.
X posts suggest the post-emergency landscape favors Wike, with fears Fubara’s governorship will be “conditional,” limiting his effectiveness. Elders’ calls for collaboration coincide with reports of Wike’s camp mobilizing for the ceremony, while Fubara’s allies remain silent.
A State at the Crossroads
Rivers, a linchpin of Nigeria’s oil wealth, cannot afford another crisis. The emergency stabilized production but stalled projects like the Port Harcourt Ring Road. Fubara must deliver despite constraints, possibly by rallying neutral voices for transparency. As the handover looms at Government House, the question isn’t just whether peace holds it’s whether Fubara can govern or merely survive in Wike’s shadow.
Ogungbayi Beedee Adeyemi is a freelance journalist and political commentator. Reach him at or bsmreport.ng for tips. This is a developing story.
