Crowd Gathers to Welcome Fubara

Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, are set to resume leadership of Rivers State today, six months after President Bola Tinubu imposed emergency rule.

A jubilant crowd gathered at the Government House on Thursday to welcome the duo. State emergency officials also stood by as preparations continued for their return.

President Tinubu declared a state of emergency on March 18, 2025, citing a political crisis that pitted Fubara against his predecessor and current Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike. Retired Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, appointed as sole administrator, formally handed power back on Wednesday night.

Crowd Gathers to Welcome Fubara — A crowd of residents gathered around the Government House, awaiting the arrival of Governor Sim Fubara on Thursday, September 18, 2025.

In his farewell broadcast, Ibas urged Rivers’ political actors to embrace dialogue and mutual respect.

The crisis, which began months after Fubara took office in May 2023, divided the House of Assembly and fuelled a bitter struggle for political dominance. Tinubu later convened reconciliation talks in June with Fubara, Wike, Assembly Speaker Martin Amaewhule, and other leaders.

During the emergency period, Ibas inaugurated the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), which conducted controversial council elections on August 30. The All Progressives Congress (APC) secured 20 councils, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won three.

On Wednesday, Tinubu ended the emergency rule, stressing it had prevented looming anarchy in the oil-rich Niger Delta state.

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Toyibat Ajose

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