Fubara, Allies Absent as Rivers Holds Council Elections

The suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and his key supporters were notably absent during Saturday’s local government chairmanship and councillorship elections across the state. Although electoral materials arrived at his polling unit in Ward 5, Opobo/Nkoro LGA by 11 a.m., Fubara, who hails from the area, did not appear throughout the exercise, which concluded around 3:30 p.m. Sources confirmed that the embattled governor had travelled to London and did not return for the vote.

Senior aides loyal to Fubara, including Chief of Staff Edison Ehie, Secretary to the State Government Dr. Tammy Danagogo, as well as the sacked 23 local government chairmen, were also missing at the polls. Members of the Simplified Movement, the governor’s political support group, similarly stayed away from the election.

Fubara was suspended from office in March after President Bola Tinubu declared a six-month state of emergency in Rivers, following his protracted political feud with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike. The suspension also affected Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu and the entire state assembly. Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (retd.) as sole administrator to oversee the state, a move that drew sharp criticism from lawyers, politicians, and civil society groups. Fubara is expected to be recalled to office on September 18, 2025.

Ahead of the polls, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission cleared multiple parties including the APC, PDP, Labour Party, APGA, AAC, Accord, and SDP. However, the PDP fielded only three chairmanship candidates, while the APC presented 20, giving the opposition party control of most councils. A source disclosed that the PDP’s three chairmanship seats were in Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt City, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGAs, regarded as strongholds of Wike, while APC took the remaining 20 seats under the leadership of Chief Tony Okocha.

Casting his vote in Rumepirikom, Obio/Akpor LGA, Wike praised the peaceful process though he queried the absence of BVAS technology. He expressed optimism that the state of emergency would lapse as scheduled, noting that by September 18, the assembly would return and grassroots governance would be fully restored. He commended the peaceful turnout, stressing that participation was higher in residential and rural communities than in urban centres.

Election day, however, was marred by low turnout, late arrival of materials, missing result sheets, and voter apathy in several city areas. In some rural communities, including Ibaa in Emohua LGA, ballot-stuffing was observed. Despite these irregularities, Administrator Ibas hailed the conduct of the elections, describing it as a crucial step towards restoring democratic governance at the grassroots.

As Rivers residents await the possible reinstatement of Fubara, a presidential aide stated that there was no justification for extending the emergency rule. Attorney-General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), through his spokesman, urged patience until the expiration date, insisting that Tinubu acted within his constitutional powers. Fubara’s aides and allies have remained largely silent since the peace deal with Wike, with his media aide, Boniface Onyedi, declining comments and urging patience.

Meanwhile, constitutional lawyer and former NBA Vice President Monday Ubani maintained that the governor should be reinstated to complete his tenure, stressing that allowing him to finish his mandate would honour the will of Rivers voters who elected him.