Governor Siminalayi Fubara
This post has already been read at least 1126 times!
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Wednesday dramatically withdrew from the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress barely 24 hours before the exercise, in a move widely seen as the latest twist in the prolonged political war that has engulfed the oil-rich state.
Fubara, in a personally signed statement, said he arrived at the decision after “deep reflection and extensive consultations” with family, friends, and political associates, insisting that the peace and stability of Rivers State must take precedence over personal ambition.
“After deep reflection and extensive consultations with my family, friends, and associates, I have taken the difficult but necessary decision to withdraw from the APC governorship primaries. I do so with a full heart and with a firm commitment to support whoever emerges as the candidate of our great party,” the governor stated.
The development comes amid sustained political pressure on the governor since his bitter fallout with his estranged political godfather and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, whose loyalists continue to dominate major political structures in Rivers State.
In a related development, frontline APC aspirant, Tonye Patrick Cole, also announced his withdrawal from the contest, citing the need for party unity, reconciliation, and stability within the state chapter of the APC.
Fubara’s withdrawal marks another dramatic chapter in the political turbulence that has gripped Rivers State since late 2023 when the once-close alliance between the governor and Wike collapsed, triggering an unprecedented power struggle involving the State House of Assembly, local government councils, party structures, and security agencies.
Political observers note that the crisis began shortly after Fubara assumed office as governor under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, following allegations that he was attempting to assert independence from Wike’s extensive political influence in the state.
The disagreement quickly escalated into open confrontation as lawmakers loyal to Wike moved to impeach the governor, leading to the polarisation of the Rivers State House of Assembly into rival factions. The crisis deepened after the demolition of the Assembly complex and repeated accusations of executive interference and abuse of state institutions by opposing camps.
At the height of the political standoff, local government administration in the state became another major battleground. Fubara-backed chairmen who emerged from controversial council elections faced stiff resistance from Wike loyalists, culminating in prolonged legal disputes over the legitimacy of the polls.
The courts eventually nullified the elections and removed several local government chairmen perceived to be loyal to the governor, significantly weakening Fubara’s grassroots political control and strengthening the influence of Wike-aligned political forces across the state.
The governor’s camp had repeatedly accused entrenched political interests of orchestrating judicial and institutional pressure aimed at frustrating his administration, while Wike’s supporters maintained that the governor violated constitutional and party procedures in his handling of local government affairs.
The crisis reached a dramatic peak with the declaration of a state of emergency in parts of Rivers State following escalating security concerns, violent political clashes, attacks on public facilities, and growing fears of breakdown of law and order.
Security agencies were subsequently deployed across strategic locations in the state as tensions heightened between rival political factions, with businesses and residents expressing concern over the deteriorating political climate and its impact on economic activities in one of Nigeria’s key oil-producing states.
Analysts say Fubara’s political troubles worsened after he reportedly lost effective control of the PDP structure in Rivers State to loyalists of Wike, forcing many of his supporters to defect or realign politically.
The governor himself eventually moved to the APC alongside key allies in what was interpreted as a strategic survival move after the PDP structure in the state became increasingly dominated by pro-Wike forces.
However, even within the APC, political observers say the governor has continued to face internal resistance from entrenched blocs aligned with the FCT minister, creating uncertainty over his political future ahead of the next governorship election.
Sources within the Rivers political establishment suggest that intense pressure, ongoing negotiations among party leaders, and concerns over escalating tensions may have influenced Fubara’s decision to step down from the primary race.
Despite the withdrawal, the governor pledged loyalty to the APC and urged his supporters to rally behind whoever emerges as the party’s candidate, stressing that unity and stability remain paramount for Rivers State.
The latest development is expected to further reshape political alignments in Rivers State as stakeholders intensify consultations ahead of the next electoral cycle in what many analysts describe as one of the fiercest intra-elite political battles in Nigeria’s recent democratic history.
This post has already been read at least 1126 times!
About the Author
