• Aides block Ibas at Government House, protest unpaid allowances
• Fubara returns with zero powers, says Cole; like a lame duck, say PDP stalwarts
• CUPP faults Supreme Court’s silence on state’s emergency rule
• Fubara’s political future uncertain as PDP, APC jostle for loyalty
• Ibas: We are leaving behind a legacy of discipline, reform
Rivers State erupted in jubilation yesterday as President Bola Tinubu lifted the six-month emergency rule, reinstating Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Yet beneath the celebrations, political uncertainty deepened, with critics warning he returns weakened, facing diminished authority and unresolved power struggles.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tonye Cole, described Fubara as returning with “zero powers”, unable to make decisions without interference.
Similarly, National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West, Kosolowoe Ajisafe, and Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Eddy Olafeso, warned that his reinstatement is a hollow victory, leaving him a lame duck and raising broader questions about democracy being undermined by “godfather-godson” politics.
Notwithstanding, excited traders at Mile One and Mile Three markets, along with commercial motorists who had anticipated the President’s decision, were glued to their mobile radio sets, monitoring the news aired by local Port Harcourt stations.
The Guardian noted that as soon as the newsreader announced the lifting of the emergency rule and the reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other suspended officials, traders, motorists, and residents broke into celebration.
The President recalled that the emergency rule was proclaimed on March 18, 2025, in response to a deep political crisis that had crippled governance, stalled the passage of appropriation bills, and led to the vandalisation of critical economic assets.
He explained that the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the State House of Assembly was necessary at the time to prevent anarchy and restore order.
The six-month period expired at midnight on September 17, 2025.
Tinubu commended the National Assembly for swiftly endorsing the proclamation, as well as traditional rulers and the people of Rivers State for their cooperation during the period.
He acknowledged dissenting voices and over 40 court cases challenging the measure, but insisted that the intervention was constitutionally justified to safeguard public order.
The President noted that fresh intelligence indicated a renewed spirit of cooperation among Rivers’ political stakeholders, paving the way for the restoration of democratic governance.
“It therefore gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State shall end with effect from midnight today,” Tinubu said, announcing that Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, Speaker Martins Amaewhule, and members of the House of Assembly would resume their offices on September 18, 2025.
He urged political leaders across the country to draw lessons from the Rivers crisis and prioritise harmony between the executive and legislature, stressing that “only in an atmosphere of peace, order and good governance can we deliver the dividends of democracy.”
Following the announcement, some meat sellers turned their knives and tables into makeshift drums, beating out danceable rhythms, while tomato sellers joined in, using their measuring containers as instruments. Excited motorists plying Ikwerre Road to Ada George, Rumuokoro, Ogbogoro, and other areas were seen reducing transport fares, with some driving recklessly in celebration.
In the Government Reserved Areas, particularly Casablanca, residents trooped into the streets in jubilation, causing severe gridlock.
The city is expected to witness even larger celebrations today as residents await the governor’s return to the state capital.
For now, Port Harcourt and its environs remain charged with excitement over Fubara’s reinstatement.
Also, a visit to the State Secretariat showed that many civil servants were visibly excited at the end of the emergency regime.
Some workers in the Ministry of Information, Education, Culture and Tourism, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was challenging working under “a stranger.”
Although they acknowledged that Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas approved their promotions, they expressed confidence that Governor Fubara would implement them. They stressed, however, that Fubara’s administration was far better and more worker-friendly than the emergency regime.
One of the workers said: “I am so excited that these six months have finally elapsed. You can feel the excitement in the atmosphere around us here. We are happy and can’t wait for the transition to take place, to see our friendly governor return to office again.”
On the streets, some residents lamented that the emergency rule had no visible impact, noting that the economy became increasingly difficult, with businesses stagnating.
Emmanuel Amadi, a resident of Akokwa, Mile One Diobu, Port Harcourt, said: “For me, nothing is going on in the State. Everywhere is dry and stagnant. We can’t feel any impact of the emergency regime. It is good we are transitioning back to a democratic government.”
He added, “This administration under Ibas didn’t bring any real change, though we noticed relative peace. We hope the political gladiators will work together for lasting peace in the state, and this can only be achieved if they allow Fubara to govern as a governor, not as a slave.”
Another resident, Uche Ebiene, said: “I am happy the emergency rule is over, but I am not sure the much-desired peace has come, because some of the appointments made by Ibas were biased and some of his activities unconstitutional.”
For rights activist Charles Jaja, reinstating Fubara is not enough; the critical issue is allowing him to work effectively.
Protest rocks Rivers Government House as aides block Ibas over unpaid allowances
Meanwhile, earlier yesterday, there was tension at the Rivers State Government House when security personnel and close aides of the outgoing Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, staged a protest, blocking his exit over unpaid allowances.
The aggrieved aides sang resistance songs and accused Ibas of failing to pay their wages after six months of service. They vowed he would not be allowed to leave until their entitlements were settled.
Sources disclosed that the situation became so heated that his Chief of Staff made frantic appeals, assuring the protesters that “something will be done.” The unrest was later brought under control following the intervention of senior security officials.
Despite the protest, Ibas eventually departed the Government House in Port Harcourt for Abuja with light luggage, suggesting he might return later.
Checks by The Guardian showed that the Government House had been largely deserted, with the usually busy entrance gate and Executive Chambers now empty. Only routine civil servants and security guards were on the ground, while some of Ibas’s appointees were seen leaving the premises.
Sources confirmed that Governor Siminalayi Fubara was still outside the country at the time of filing this report, but was expected to return before midnight, ahead of the transition from emergency rule to a democratic government.
President Bola Tinubu, who cut short his vacation and returned to Abuja on Tuesday, is also expected to play a role in the transition process.
Fubara will return with ‘zero powers’, says APC chieftain Tonye Cole
All Progressives Congress chieftain, Tonye Cole, said Governor Siminalayi Fubara will have “zero” powers at the expiration of his suspension.
Cole, who spoke on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief yesterday, said Fubara would find himself in a difficult situation.
According to him, Fubara would not be able to make any decision as governor without interference.
Cole, the APC’s 2023 governorship candidate in Rivers State, lamented that a state as critical as Rivers would have a governor unable to exercise his full authority as an elected leader.
“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,” said Cole.
“It’s extremely difficult, and I think the governor will be finding himself in a very difficult situation. First of all, the way politics has played out in Nigeria, almost every situation is that a governor, in leaving office, looks for somebody who he believes can continue whatever agenda they had moving forward.
“But time and time again, we find out that where the new governor or whoever has come in as governor is left alone to run his administration, then things progress.
“However, when such doesn’t happen…almost always we have ended up in this whole godfather-godson fight, and it’s 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,” he added.
The APC chieftain, however, advised Fubara to find a way to reach an agreement with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to allow him (Fubara) 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.
“The truth is that we do not know the details of that peace agreement, so I cannot tell the extent or the limits of the powers that he has now.”
Fubara resumes like a lame duck, PDP stalwarts warn
While Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s reinstatement may appear to be a victory, critics warn it is hollow, with the governor returning under severely diminished authority.
Key state structures, political backing, and institutional support have reportedly been stripped away, raising concerns that the embattled governor may function as little more than a figurehead in what some describe as a dangerous precedent for Nigerian democracy.
Observers note that the political compromise leading to his return has left him weakened, with crucial levers of power outside his reach.
National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West, Kosolowoe Ajisafe, urged Nigerians to resist what he termed the erosion of democratic norms in the case of Fubara’s suspension and reinstatement.
Speaking to The Guardian via telephone, Ajisafe said: “It would be a grave error to think the suspension and the conditions of his return are isolated issues. This is a clampdown on democracy, not just on the person of Governor Fubara. Nearly all the structures that allow him to govern have been removed.”
Ajisafe also criticised the Supreme Court for delaying a crucial suit challenging the legality of the President’s alleged power to suspend a democratically elected governor.
“The judiciary has a role to play in protecting democracy. The fact that the court is too busy to hear a case of this magnitude is troubling,” he said.
Echoing Ajisafe’s concerns, former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Eddy Olafeso, suggested that Nigerians are only witnessing the beginning of a deeper political play.
“The end is yet to be seen. Nigerians will soon understand the true depth of what the Federal Government and some behind-the-scenes actors are attempting to achieve in Rivers. This is just part one,” he said.
On whether the PDP could support Fubara’s return to effective governance, Olafeso was blunt in his assessment: “There is nothing the PDP or any political party can do. This onslaught isn’t just about Fubara; it’s about democracy itself. All we can do now is leave the matter to the court of the Nigerian people. What’s happening in Rivers is just one symptom of a failing government.”
Olafeso further warned that the development could set a precedent where governors or other elected officials are neutralised through backdoor politics rather than democratic processes.
“Once this becomes a template, it won’t end in Rivers alone. It could spread to other states, weakening the essence of the ballot box,” he cautioned.
Political analysts say the Rivers drama must also be read within the wider context of the ruling party’s dominance at the federal level and the lingering rift between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The crisis, which began as a supremacy battle between the governor and his former political benefactor, split the state assembly, paralysed governance, and triggered prolonged litigation.
Although Fubara’s reinstatement may close one chapter of the crisis, his ability to govern effectively remains in doubt. Without control over the state assembly, security apparatus, and party machinery, he faces the risk of being reduced to a ceremonial figure while real power shifts elsewhere.
Whether Fubara can claw back political control or merely serve out the remainder of his term under duress will depend on public response, judicial intervention, and intra-party manoeuvring in the months ahead. For now, his return, though legally significant, may not restore his governing capacity.
Without party backing, control of state structures, or legal protection, Fubara risks becoming a lame duck: a leader in title only.
CUPP faults Supreme Court’s silence on Rivers’ emergency rule
As Siminalayi Fubara returns to his seat as Governor of Rivers State, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court’s failure to intervene in the legality of the emergency rule declared by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
CUPP’s National Secretary, Peter Ameh, who welcomed the termination of the state of emergency, insisted that the act remained an egregious case of federal overreach and a direct assault on Nigeria’s democratic principles.
“We are profoundly disappointed by the Supreme Court’s refusal to hear the case brought by PDP governors challenging the emergency. This failure to uphold constitutional authority allowed an illegal act to persist, exposing the court’s complicity in prioritising political interests over the rule of law. Such hypocrisy weakens the judiciary’s credibility and endangers Nigeria’s democratic foundation,” it noted.
“CUPP questions the justice of this episode. The six months stripped from Governor Fubara’s tenure and the state Assembly’s operations cannot be reclaimed, representing a clear violation of constitutional provisions on elected terms. By assuming unchecked authority, President Tinubu has acted as a ‘Proclaimer General,’ threatening the democratic balance of our federation.”
CUPP maintained that the suspension of the elected governor, deputy governor, and the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months over a political dispute was an unconstitutional power grab that should never have occurred.
According to CUPP, the action, executed without the request of elected state officials, undermined the mandate of Rivers State voters and set a dangerous precedent for the erosion of state autonomy in Nigeria’s federation.
CUPP demanded immediate transparency from the Presidency, including the legal memo justifying the emergency, the financial costs incurred, and a comprehensive review of the rights violated during the period, all of which must be published without delay.
It also called on all Nigerians: political parties, civil society, and citizens to reject this dangerous precedent and defend democracy, stressing that the will of the people, expressed through free and fair elections, must remain sacrosanct.
CUPP contended that history would judge the episode as either a fleeting misstep or the beginning of a slide toward authoritarianism and urged the government to recommit to constitutional governance to ensure such overreach is never repeated.
Fubara’s political future uncertain as PDP, APC jostle for loyalty
The political future of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, remains uncertain as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) intensify efforts to secure his loyalty.
Reacting to reports of alleged moves by the APC to woo the governor, Chairman of the PDP Zonal Caretaker Committee (South-South), Emma Ogidi, told journalists in Abuja yesterday that the party would not encourage him to defect.
“Defection is not new in our politics, but the decision is his to make. We pray he doesn’t fall for it because the APC is a failed government, and we will not encourage him to join them. When I see him, I will tell him personally that APC has failed,” Ogidi said.
He also expressed relief over Fubara’s safe return after his six-month suspension, adding, “When someone returns safely, you are always happy. We thank God for his life, especially considering all the embarrassment he has faced.”
Ogidi stressed that the governor should be allowed to focus on governance without undue distraction. “This is a man who only just came back. He needs time to settle down and focus on his work. If they are already trying to drag him over to their side so soon, it is simply unreasonable,” he said.
Reports suggest the APC is offering Fubara the leadership of the party in Rivers State, in what is seen as part of wider political realignments following his reconciliation with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. It was alleged that one of the conditions for peace between the men was for Fubara to consider leaving the PDP for the ruling APC.
Reinstated spokesperson of the APC in Rivers, Darlington Nwauju, confirmed the party’s readiness to receive the governor, stressing that joining the APC would guarantee his safety and strengthen his administration.
“By the convention of our great party, the APC, if Governor Fubara joins us, he automatically becomes the leader of the party in Rivers,” Nwauju said.
During the August 30 local council elections, the APC secured 20 out of 23 councils, while the PDP won only three. Analysts argue that this outcome could further tilt the balance of power in the state.
Observers, however, caution that APC’s overtures to Fubara may ignite a fresh round of political rivalry with Wike, who, despite not formally joining the ruling party, has shown strong alignment with it in recent times.
For now, uncertainty lingers over whether Fubara will remain in the PDP or accept the APC’s offer to lead the party in Rivers State.
Ibas: We are leaving behind a legacy of discipline and reform
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), has said his administration is leaving behind a legacy of transparency, discipline, and reform following the launch of the International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS) and new revenue codes for the state.
The unveiling, held at Government House, Port Harcourt, marked the conclusion of fiscal reforms designed to align Rivers State’s financial management with international best practices.
Ibas said the initiative was introduced to tackle weaknesses in the state’s revenue system, which he noted had suffered from leakages and imprecise computation.
“This reform ushers in transparency, accountability, and efficiency. Every transaction will be traceable, every payment verifiable, and every process auditable in real time,” he stated.
He explained that the combined implementation of IPSAS and the modernised revenue codes would strengthen the credibility of Rivers State’s financial records, boost investor confidence, and attract international development partners. He added that the measures would also broaden the tax net and increase Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
“Though my time here is short, the legacy we leave behind is one of courage, discipline, and reform. History will judge that every action was taken for the general good of Rivers State,” Ibas said.
Also speaking at the event, Chairman of the Rivers State Internal Revenue Service, Israel Egbunefu, described the adoption of IPSAS and the revenue codes as a transformative step that positions the state on a global financial platform.
“With IPSAS, Rivers State is no longer reporting revenue in isolation. It is speaking a language understood by the World Bank, the United Nations, and global financial institutions,” Egbunefu said.
He added that the reforms would help recover lost revenue, improve credibility, and strengthen the state’s attractiveness to investors and international lenders.
