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RIVERS: FUBARA’S FATE HANG IN BALANCE
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The political crisis in Rivers State between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has reached a decisive moment following last Friday’s Supreme Court verdicts.
The ruling has significantly shifted the balance of power, stripping Fubara of crucial political influence while strengthening Wike’s loyalists.
With this development, the state’s political landscape has been thrown into further turmoil, raising concerns about the governor’s future.
For 16 months, Rivers State, a key oil and gas hub in West Africa, has been embroiled in a fierce power struggle.
The Supreme Court’s judgment last week delivered a significant setback to Fubara, reinstating the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers and nullifying the October 5, 2024, local government elections.
These decisions have weakened Fubara’s control over the state legislature and paved the way for financial restrictions, including the suspension of federal allocations to the state.
The reinstated lawmakers, who have been sidelined for months, are expected to return with a strong resolve. Many believe their next course of action will be to impeach Fubara, a move that could unfold rapidly given the numerical strength they now possess in the House of Assembly.
With their renewed mandate, these legislators are likely to act decisively in favor of Wike’s political interests.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, reactions from different political and ethnic groups have been mixed.
The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has called for calm while expressing concerns over the court’s silence on the issue of defection.
Similarly, leaders from the Pan-Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) have suggested that Wike seemed confident about the ruling even before it was delivered, raising suspicions about the integrity of the process.
These reactions reflect the deep divisions that have emerged from the crisis.
Despite the setback, Fubara still has a legal battle that could influence the unfolding political drama. The case concerning the defection of the 27 lawmakers to the All Progressives Congress (APC) remains pending before the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.
However, there is skepticism about whether the lawmakers will wait for the legal process to conclude before moving to remove the governor.
Political analysts suggest that an impeachment could be rushed to render the defection case irrelevant, leaving Fubara with limited options.
In response to the crisis, Fubara has taken steps to consolidate his political base. He had previously directed all 23 local government chairmen to contest the October 5 elections under the Action Peoples Party (APP), a move seen as an attempt to maintain grassroots support.
A source close to the government indicates that Fubara remains confident and believes the political battle is far from over.
Observers note that while impeachment may be imminent, the legal and political maneuvering in the coming weeks will determine the final outcome of this high-stakes power struggle.
According to the source: “There are various options open to Fubara. One of that is a political solution to the crisis. In doing that, he would be given conditions to fulfill.
One of that is to decamp to the APC to guarantee President Tinubu of 2027.”
