With just 13 days to the end of the six-month emergency rule in Rivers State, the stage is set for suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the state House of Assembly to reclaim their offices, bringing an end to one of the most turbulent political chapters in the state’s history.
The Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), who has been steering the ship since March, is now preparing his exit report amid assurances that there will be no extension of the emergency rule.
Rumours had swirled that Ibas was quietly lobbying for an extension, but both Government House sources and the administrator himself have dismissed the speculation. Last weekend, Ibas pointed to the successful conduct of local government elections as proof that Rivers was ready for “the resumption of full democratic rule.”
> “All indigenes of Rivers State want and deserve grassroots leadership they can call their own. For me, facilitating this foundational tier of democracy is a core objective of my mandate,” Ibas declared while swearing in the newly elected LG chairmen.
Former Governor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, echoed Ibas’ confidence, saying that the conclusion of the polls had paved the way for Rivers to exit the emergency era.
“With the emergency rule due to expire on September 18, the suspended governor, deputy governor, and lawmakers will return to their jobs,” Wike assured.
On Wednesday, Ibas held a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja—believed to be part of consultations on the state’s transition.
As part of the groundwork for Fubara’s return, Ibas has been overseeing the reconstruction of the State House of Assembly complex, demolished during Fubara’s bitter standoff with lawmakers loyal to Wike. He described the rebuilding as “strategic” and warned the contractors against delays.
In a move seen as stabilising governance, Ibas also inaugurated nine major state boards, including RSUBEB, RSSSSB, RIWAMA, and the Rivers Internal Revenue Service, ahead of the September 18 transition.
Across the state, anticipation is palpable. At a prayer session in Port Harcourt, the Rivers Women Unite for SIM said they were eagerly awaiting the governor’s return, insisting that residents had “endured enough hardship under emergency rule.”
The state chapter of the APC, led by Chief Tony Okocha, has also declared support for Fubara’s return, pledging cooperation but warning it would not shy away from criticism where necessary.
“On the 18th of September, the executive governor returns. There will be no vacuum,” Okocha stated.
Contrary to claims that Fubara would return weakened, PDP chieftain Chief Ogbonna Nwuke argued that the governor’s constitutional authority remained intact.
“Speculations that he will return powerless don’t add up. He will perform executive functions and make his own appointments. Rivers people are eager for a governor who serves their interests, not individual ambitions,” he said.
The state of emergency was declared on March 18 after Rivers descended into chaos, with Fubara locked in a bruising feud against his predecessor, Wike, and a majority of state lawmakers.
Three months later, Tinubu convened a high-level peace parley in Abuja, where both camps were persuaded to sheath their swords. The meeting—attended by Fubara, Wike, Speaker Martins Amaewhule, and others—set the stage for reconciliation and the gradual restoration of democratic structures.
Now, as September 18 approaches, Rivers stands on the brink of a political rebirth. For its long-suffering people, the return of democratic governance promises not just the restoration of normalcy, but a test of whether peace will truly hold in the oil-rich state.
PIONEER NEWS 