A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tonye Cole, has made a startling revelation about the impending return of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
According to Cole, Fubara will have “zero” powers when his suspension is lifted, following a state of emergency imposed by President Bola Tinubu.
The crisis in Rivers State began with a political impasse between Fubara and the leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule.
In response, President Tinubu imposed a state of emergency in the state, suspending Fubara and the House of Assembly members for six months.
The President also appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd) as the sole administrator for the state.
Cole, a 2023 governorship candidate of the APC, expressed concerns about Fubara’s ability to exercise his full authority as an elected leader.
According to Cole, Fubara will find himself in a difficult situation, unable to make decisions without interference.
“We cannot be in a situation where we have an elected governor of a state, like Rivers State, which is a very critical state not just for the people of Rivers but Nigeria as a whole, and what you then see is that you have an elected governor that has zero powers. I don’t think it portends well at all,” Cole said.
Cole lamented the fact that Rivers State, a critical state in Nigeria, has a governor who will not be able to exercise his full authority. He noted that this situation could lead to a godfather-godson fight, which has never been good for democracy.
“Everywhere that fight has occurred, the people have tended to suffer a lot more. My prayer is that as we come back, because we don’t know what we’re going to see starting from tomorrow, the one thing that we are sure about is that the governor is not in a position to make any decisions,” Cole added.
However, Cole advised Fubara to find a way to reach an agreement with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to allow him to make certain decisions as an elected governor.
“What I would do if I were him would be to now sit down with the honourable minister and appeal for some leeway to allow certain decisions to be taken by me as governor, and others to be taken by him, whatever peace agreement they had,” Cole said.
The Background
The crisis in Rivers State began with a power struggle between Fubara and Wike, his predecessor. The two politicians have locked horns over the control of the political structure in the state.
In March, President Tinubu imposed a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Fubara and the House of Assembly members for six months. The President hinged his decision on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saying he could not continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking any action.
The President immediately appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd) as the sole administrator for the state. However, in June, the President met with Fubara, Wike, Amaewhule, and other members of the assembly, signaling a reconciliation among the key actors.
Fubara’s suspension is set to expire on Thursday, September 18, 2025. As he prepares to return to office, the question on everyone’s mind is: what will be the nature of his relationship with Wike, and how will he exercise his powers as governor?
The situation in Rivers State remains complex and uncertain. While Cole’s comments have raised concerns about Fubara’s ability to govern the state effectively, only time will tell how this situation unfolds.
