Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has sparked confusion within his political camp following a recent comment about his reluctance to return to the Government House in Port Harcourt.

Fubara, who was suspended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on March 18, 2025, following a state of emergency declaration due to a prolonged political crisis in the state, claimed that he felt healthier as a private citizen and was not keen on resuming office.

Fubara made the statement during a tribute night held in honor of the late elder statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, at the Royal House of Grace Church in Port Harcourt.

In his speech, Fubara expressed frustration with his followers who had failed to pursue peace and reconciliation, instead opting for confrontation.

He stated, ?If I have my way, I wouldn?t want to return. My spirit has left that place (Government House). But many people, including the late Chief Clark, have made sacrifices for me. That is why I must stand by them.?

This comment has sparked varying reactions from political figures across the region. Dr. Joseph Ambakederimo, the convener of the South-South Reawakening Group (SSRG), described the governor?s statement as ?highly regrettable.?

Ambakederimo questioned why Fubara had spent significant resources traveling to London for a peace meeting with President Tinubu, and later meeting with FCT Minister Barr. Nyesom Wike in Abuja, if he had no desire to return as governor.

?The governor is playing to the gallery. He has succeeded in throwing his teeming supporters under the bus. If he does not want to return as governor, why did he go to London? Why did he visit Wike in Abuja?? Ambakederimo said.

Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, a prominent member of the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF), took a more cautious approach, stating that Fubara?s comment was personal and not reflective of the views of the Rivers people. ?Rivers people have taken a stand. They want the governor to be reinstated. We are satisfied with his governance. That is why everybody wants him back on the seat. When he is eventually reinstated, let him come and tell us that he will not return,? Sara-Igbe said.

Sara-Igbe also expressed hope that the state of emergency would not last the full six-month duration initially set by President Tinubu.

Similarly, Dr. Alaye Theophilus, president of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), emphasized that the fight for peace in Rivers was not about Fubara as an individual but about ending the political oppression in the state. ?Even if it was another person that was the governor of the state, it is the spirit that we would have deployed. It is not about Sim Fubara. It is about enduring peace and progress of the state. So, whether the governor wants to return or not is not an issue. We want an end to the emergency rule in Rivers,? Theophilus said.

The governor?s remarks have left many questioning the future of his leadership, as the state continues to grapple with political instability and the effects of the emergency rule. (Vanguard)

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