By Abdul Lauya
The political stalemate in Rivers State may soon ease following revelations by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, that Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the state House of Assembly will resume office on September 18, when the state of emergency imposed by President Bola Tinubu is expected to expire.
Wike made the disclosure shortly after casting his vote at polling unit 7, ward 9, in his Rumuepirikom community, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, during the ongoing local government election in Rivers State.
The former Rivers governor described the exercise as peaceful and orderly compared to previous elections in the state, noting that electoral materials arrived early and voters turned out to cast their ballots without major disruptions.
He explained that holding the local government election under emergency rule was necessary to avoid a vacuum in grassroots governance after the emergency order expires in mid-September.
According to Wike, the Supreme Court’s nullification of the previous local government election made Saturday’s poll essential for ensuring continuity in governance at the local level.
Yet questions are emerging as to why the Sole Administrator is conducting the election rather than allowing the reinstated governor after September 18 to oversee the process, raising suspicions about the political intent behind the timing.
Observers suggest the move may be designed to install Wike loyalists at the grassroots before the return of democratic governance, thereby consolidating the former governor’s influence across all levels of power in the state.
Concerns are also mounting over the construction of a new State House of Assembly complex under the watch of the Sole Administrator, with critics arguing it could serve as a lasting symbol of Wike’s dominance rather than a neutral institution for lawmakers.
President Bola Tinubu had in February suspended Governor Fubara and the state Assembly members following weeks of violent clashes between rival factions of the ruling political camp, a crisis that left the state deeply polarized.
The conflict stemmed from a bitter power struggle between Wike, who installed Fubara as his successor, and the governor himself, who increasingly sought to assert independence from his powerful political benefactor.
The feud intensified as about 80 percent of the state lawmakers openly aligned with Wike, passing measures that undermined Fubara’s authority and sparking protests and street battles between rival supporters.
The escalation of violence forced Tinubu to intervene with the extraordinary measure of suspending both the executive and the legislature, an unprecedented move that underscored the gravity of Rivers’ political crisis.
The fact that the news of Fubara’s expected return was first broken by Wike and not the presidency has raised eyebrows, with observers suggesting it may be a sign that the two leaders have quietly reconciled behind the scenes.
Analysts question whether Wike was the right person to announce the governor’s reinstatement, noting that it confirms his central role not only in the feud but possibly in the imposition of emergency rule itself.
Others point to unresolved questions about whether the struggle over Rivers’ vast resources has been settled and whether Governor Fubara has agreed to “play by the rules” dictated by his political godfather.
Analysts argue that Wike’s fresh hint about Fubara and the Assembly’s return may be a tactical move to reassert his dominance ahead of September, signaling that he still holds the decisive grip over Rivers politics despite having formally left the state’s helm.
Critics, however, contend that the prolonged suspension has left Rivers people disenfranchised, questioning whether the expected September 18 reinstatement will resolve the deeper rift between the governor and his godfather or simply reopen old wounds.
The coming weeks will be a crucial test of whether Rivers State can navigate its way out of prolonged political turmoil, or whether the state’s fragile peace will collapse under the weight of unresolved rivalries.
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