President Bola Tinubu reversed course and fixed September 18, 2025, as the date for the reinstatement of suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and the State House of Assembly. The date marks exactly six months since emergency rule was imposed in the oil-rich state to quell tensions between Nyesom Wike and Fubara.
According to sources in the Presidency, the decision came after a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa last Wednesday between Tinubu and the state’s Sole Administrator, retired Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas. The President reportedly instructed Ibas to prepare a comprehensive handover report before the end of his 10-day vacation. The report is expected to detail funds inherited from the Fubara administration, revenues generated during the emergency rule, expenditures, and completed projects.
The move effectively ends weeks of lobbying by some lawmakers who sought to extend emergency rule for another three months, which would have kept Ibas in power until December. Proponents argued that an extension was necessary to complete major projects such as the reconstruction of the Assembly complex, worker verification exercises, and the installation of new government equipment.
But the plan collapsed under strong resistance, spearheaded by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who has been vocal about his support for Fubara’s return. Wike had publicly declared during the August 30 local government elections that both the governor and lawmakers were ready to resume their duties without delay.
Read also:
- Obi visits Peter Rufai family, eulogizes late goalkeeper
- Bio-data of Rivers State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas (rtd)
- Nigerian Senate approves emergency rule in Rivers State amid political crisis
The state’s APC chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, has also confirmed that September 18 will be a decisive date in Rivers politics. Meanwhile, civil society voices in Port Harcourt say Tinubu’s decision is also calculated to restore Nigeria’s democratic image before he departs for the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Governor Fubara, who has been in London with his family during the emergency rule, is expected to return to Port Harcourt in the coming days. Upon his arrival, he is likely to receive a fresh list of commissioners and political appointees as he settles back into office.
The dramatic U-turn by Tinubu not only restores democratic institutions in Rivers State but also sets the stage for what could be an intense political showdown between loyalists of Wike and Fubara as the governor reclaims his mandate.
