With the six-month suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Professor Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly set to lapse, the people of Rivers State remain sharply divided on what to expect when democratic governance is revived.
President Bola Tinubu had, on March 18, 2025, suspended democratic structures in Rivers because of the escalating tensions between Governor Fubara and his political godfather, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike. He instead appointed former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), as sole administrator, who went on to dissolve Fubara’s team of political appointees.
Prior to the suspension of Fubara, his government had started several people-centered projects, some of which are the Trans-Kalabari Link Road, the Ring Road in Port Harcourt, reconstruction of a burnt section of the state Assembly complex, and proposals to revive the Soghai Farm in Tai LGA. Most of the projects, however, stalled under the emergency government despite Ibas’ promise that contractors would return to site.
Opinions on the anticipated return of Fubara vary widely.
APC chieftain Hon. Stephen Deegbara appealed to the governor to restart stalled road projects, promotion in the civil service, recruit more teachers, and focus on uniting the state. He advised Fubara to shun “crisis entrepreneurs” and align Rivers with the federal government.
Similarly, another APC leader, Hon. Darlington Nwauju, lamented that governance had been “frozen” for months, with even basic tasks like payment of salaries becoming a drag. He appealed to Fubara to take up where he left off in 2023, saying policy somersaults under the sole administrator harmed Rivers people.
Also commenting, political analyst Dr. Obinna Nwodim similarly highlighted the stagnation of development, noting that halting projects that were ongoing robbed Rivers people of the benefits of continuity. He cautioned the governor against allowing political crises to overshadow governance.
Not everybody is, however, optimistic. Commentator on public affairs Obinwa Akanwa dismissed prospects entirely, arguing that Fubara has been “boxed into a corner” and may be unable to drive tangible development even after his reinstatement.
With just days remaining to the expiration of the suspension, Rivers State remains at a political juncture, torn between expectation of resumed progress and doubt about whether Fubara can actually regain control of the running of the state.
