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Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara said he is confident his successor will complete projects his administration started before leaving office.
Fubara spoke while commissioning the Egwi-Afara-Mba Road project, saying the limited time left in his administration meant he could not promise to meet all the demands presented by residents and the Council of Chiefs.
“I have only one appeal to make, and the appeal is we have a very limited time. Because of that, I can’t stand here and promise you everything,” he said.
The governor, however, expressed confidence that projects started by his administration would not be abandoned after he leaves office.
“I believe strongly that my successor will do whatever we have started and complete it for you,” he said.
Fubara’s remarks come against the backdrop of a prolonged political crisis that has shaped his administration since he became governor in 2023.
The crisis stemmed from his falling-out with his predecessor and political godfather, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The dispute centred largely on control of the Rivers political structure and escalated into a confrontation between Fubara and lawmakers loyal to Wike.
The feud led lawmakers loyal to Wike to attempt to impeach Fubara, while disputes over the state legislature, budget presentation, and other matters deepened the political standoff.
The crisis eventually prompted President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Rivers in March 2025, suspending Fubara, his deputy and the state House of Assembly.
Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas was subsequently appointed as sole administrator of the state.
After about six months, the emergency rule was lifted, and Fubara returned to office following political negotiations involving Tinubu, Wike, Fubara and members of the Rivers Assembly.
His return was followed by a political realignment in which he joined the All Progressives Congress, having previously governed Rivers under the Peoples Democratic Party.
Fubara subsequently reaffirmed his membership of the APC in May 2026, dismissing reports that he had left the party.
“I’m a member of the All Progressives Congress, and nothing has changed,” he said, adding that he remained committed to the party and its interests.
He later entered the APC governorship primary process ahead of the 2027 election and was screened alongside other aspirants.
However, after passing the screening, Fubara announced on May 20, 2026, that he was withdrawing from the primary.
The governor said the decision followed extensive consultations with his family, friends and political associates. He said personal ambition had to take a back seat to Rivers State’s interests.
