₦airaland Forum

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the suspended governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, and the 32-member House of Assembly will return to office on September 18.

Indications that the suspended governor, his deputy, as well as the state lawmakers will return to office were rife last week after a closed-door meeting between the President and the Sole Administrator in the Presidential Villa, where Ibas was given a matching order to submit a comprehensive handover note of his six-month emergency rule before his 10-day vacation ends.

Sources told Nigerian Tribune that indications of Fubara’s imminent return emerged last week following a closed-door meeting between the President and the Sole Administrator at the Presidential Villa.

Ibas was reportedly directed to prepare a comprehensive handover note covering all funds inherited from the suspended government, revenues accrued during the emergency rule, and expenditures on projects.

Presidency sources also disclosed that Fubara’s reinstatement is tied to strict conditions. A source said,

“He is expected to serve out his current term and vacate office without seeking re-election in 2027. He has also accepted Wike’s leadership and agreed that the FCT Minister will nominate candidates for all PDP local government elections across the state.”

In addition, Fubara is said to have agreed to pay all outstanding allowances and entitlements of the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers suspended from the House of Assembly. In return, the legislators are expected to cooperate with him to complete his tenure.

The source said, “On his return, the suspended governor will also pay all outstanding allowances and entitlements of the 27 lawmakers loyal to the FCT Minister, who were suspended from the state assembly. In exchange, the lawmakers will cooperate and work peacefully with the governor to enable him to complete his tenure.”

Recall that on February 28, 2025, the Supreme Court delivered judgment on eight consolidated appeals regarding the Rivers crisis. The apex court ruled that the 27 lawmakers who allegedly defected “are still valid members of the state House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in proceedings of that House.”

The court further held that “a government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution,” warning that the collapse of the legislature amounted to despotic governance.

While declaring the emergency rule on March 18, 2025, Tinubu lamented the political stalemate in the state.

“The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of the state not being able to have access to the dividends of democracy,” the President said in his nationwide broadcast.

He added, “Having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of Section 305 of the Constitution… to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, March 18, 2025.”

By September 18, the six-month period prescribed in the declaration will elapse, paving the way for Fubara and other suspended officials to return to their offices.

yarimo:
But why ? Everyone in rivers state is happy with Mr ibas administration

creolehunt:
So if Fubara decides to contest in 2027, what will happen?

PlasmaTV:
O jebi ooo

An illegal and unconstitutional government.

tonesky:
This is nonsense and does not make sense to me. Handover to Fubara after unconstitutionally handing over the treasury of Rivers State to Wike for helping him rewrite 2023 presidential result in his favour which Peter Obi won landslide. Posterity shall never be fair to him. Fubara shouldn't come back if I were him, better have rest than accepting to live in bondage.

SouthSouth1914:
After destroying the pillars of democracy in the state! What a joke

Neduzze5:
The people that suspended an elected Governor and are saying that he should not seek reelection come 2027 are not even sure that they will be alive in 2027.

Na God dey in charge, make dem no worry.

Putindbutt:
Tinubu na your mate?. See as peace dey flex for inside Rivers State since, no pipeline destruction, no killings, no violence, no political tension, LG election occur, no violence or kidnapping for the first time ever in history of Rivers State.
When they come back, all of them go do normal. Tinubu do this one. God bless Rivers State, God bless Nigeria.

cyril10:
You misbehave a lot in this forum, what exactly did the so-called Administrator did with Rivers money since assuming office.

Putindbutt:
Tinubu na your mate?. See as peace dey flex for inside Rivers State since, no pipeline destruction, no killings, no violence, no political tension, LG election occur, no violence or kidnapping for the first time ever in history of Rivers State.
When they come back, all of them go do normal. Tinubu do this one. God bless Rivers State, God bless Nigeria.

cyril10:
You misbehave a lot in this forum, what exactly did the so-called Administrator did with Rivers money since assuming office.

yarimo:
But why ? Everyone in rivers state is happy with Mr ibas administration