Suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has said he is not eager to return to office, nearly two months after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich state.
Fubara made the remarks on Sunday at a service of songs in honour of the late elder statesman and Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) leader, Edwin Clark, in Port Harcourt.
“Have you asked yourself, do you think I’m interested in going back there?” Fubara asked, addressing the audience. ”
If I had my way, I would say this is it. This is the will of God. I don’t wish to go back there. My spirit has left that place.”
The event took a political turn as members of the Rivers Elders Forum paid tributes to Fubara, referring to him as the rightful governor and condemning his suspension.
But the embattled leader distanced himself from the comments, describing them as personal and counterproductive to peace efforts.
Fubara warned that such remarks could worsen tensions in the state and said the focus should remain on celebrating Clark’s legacy, not political protests.
The governor’s comments come amid a prolonged power tussle between him and Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which began shortly after Fubara assumed office in 2023. Efforts by President Tinubu to mediate the dispute led to a brief truce in December 2024.
However, the situation escalated again in March 2025 when the president suspended Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the entire Rivers State House of Assembly.
Tinubu appointed retired naval officer Ibok-Ete Ibas as sole administrator, effectively placing the state under federal control.
The controversial decision has since sparked legal fireworks, with 11 governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the president’s action at the Supreme Court.
The National Assembly, in turn, urged the court to dismiss the suit, describing it as frivolous and seeking a N1 billion penalty against the PDP governors.
In April, reports surfaced that Fubara had met with President Tinubu in London in a bid to resolve the impasse, but the outcome of that meeting remains unclear.
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