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By CHARLES IWUOHA
Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has returned to Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, after six months emergency rule imposed on the oil- rich state.
Fubara arrived at the Port Harcourt International Airport around 11:50 am on Friday and was received by a large crowd of supporters who had gathered at the VIP wing in anticipation of his return.
His arrival came over 24 hours after President Bola Tinubu formally ended the emergency rule that had been in effect since March 18, 2025.
Although the Rivers State House of Assembly resumed legislative activities on Thursday, Fubara was noticeably absent from the Government House, where hundreds of supporters had also gathered to welcome him back.
Governor Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, were suspended from office for six months following a political crisis in the state that prompted President Tinubu to declare emergency rule.
As part of the federal intervention, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas was appointed as sole administrator for the oil-rich state.
In a broadcast shortly after handing over on Wednesday night, Ibas urged political leaders in the state to prioritize dialogue and mutual respect going forward.
The political conflict in Rivers began months after Fubara took office in May 2023. A rift between the governor and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, quickly escalated into a broader power tussle that split the state House of Assembly and threatened governance.
The crisis culminated in President Tinubu’s emergency proclamation in March.
However, signs of reconciliation began to emerge in June when Tinubu met with key stakeholders including Fubara, Wike, Assembly Speaker Martins Amaewhule and others.
Despite opposition from some quarters, Ibas proceeded to inaugurate the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), chaired by Michael Odey.
Local government elections were held on August 30 across all 23 councils.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) won in 20 local government areas, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured victories in the remaining three.
Announcing the end of the emergency rule on Wednesday, President Tinubu stated that the intervention was necessary to prevent a descent into anarchy, given the political volatility at the time.
