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…Reinstated Rivers Assembly Vows To Probe Expenditure Under Ibas

…Asks Fubara To Prepare Budget, List Of Commissioner Nominees

…I Won’t Recommend Commissioners To Fubara, Says Wike

…Emergency Rule Will Hurt Nigeria’s Democracy For Long — Obi

Concerns were raised on Thurs­day over the whereabouts of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State after thousands of ju­bilant supporters, who thronged the state’s Government House in Port Harcourt in wait of his return following his reinstatement left the venue disappointed as the gover­nor failed to show up.

The governor’s supporters mostly comprising youths, wom­en and sociocultural groups clad in uniforms sang solidarity songs for hours in anticipation of the gov­ernor’s return, but started leaving about 3p.m after it became obvious that he was not coming forth.

The massive crowd caused se­rious traffic obstruction near the Government House main gate, forcing motorists to divert to al­ternate routes.

Daily Independent reports that President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday reinstated the gov­ernor, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu and the state House of As­sembly, that were suspended on March 18, 2025, at the height of the political tussle between the governor and his then estranged predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister.

Daily Independent also reports that security operatives were seen pinned at strategic positions in anticipation of any breakdown of law and order, as well as am­bulances in case of any medical emergency.

Meanwhile, civil society or­ganisations in Rivers State have expressed excitement over the reinstatement of the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and members of the state House of Assembly.

Chairman, Rivers Civil Society Organisations, Comrade Enefaa Georgewill, said the suspension of the state executives and legisla­ture in the first place, was an illegal action.

He questioned the rationale be­hind suspending elected state exec­utives and lawmakers, noting that actions taken within the period of the emergency rule would put the reinstated governor in a tight corner.

Georgewill said, “For Rivers State to be ruled by a democratical­ly elected governor just like every other state in the country is a thing of joy, because at least the governor is accountable to the people based on democratic ethics.

“But mind you the actions tak­en by Mr. President is so illegal that one will even be questioning what parameters he used to suspend.

“The governor is now more like being put in a cage because local government elections have been conducted by a quasi military dic­tator, who openly admitted that he has fulfilled the wishes of the president. Putting that side by side with the structure tussle, where an agent of Mr. President claimed that his structure was threatened.”

Georgewill also advised the governor to urgently reactivate work at the numerous projects in the state halted by the sole adminis­trator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd).

He further charged the gover­nor to take politics seriously and probe the financial expenditure of the sole administrator.

“If I were the governor, I would have challenged this matter in court and go as far as taking my time to investigate the financial expenditure of Ibas and anyone found wanting, possibly get the financial crimes investigators saddled with the responsibility of investigating financial crimes to do the needful.

“I would advise the governor at this point, a lot of projects have been abandoned, ranging from the civil servants quarters to the Ring Road, to other ideas the gov­ernor has advanced, have all been stopped, to immediately resume work on those projects.

“Most importantly, the gover­nor should do well to take politics seriously as much as he takes governance. The idea that he is a career civil servant and not a pol­itician should not arise again, he is occupying a political office and should be interested in politics so that people don’t arm twist him.

“I believe in his peaceful dispo­sition, but then again in the inter­est of the state, he should not fold his arms and swallow everything thrown at him in fear, so that no one can arm twist him,” he added.

Reinstated Rivers Assembly Vows To Probe Expenditure Under Ibas

Meanwhile, the reinstated Riv­ers State House of Assembly has resolved to probe the management of the state’s finances during the six-month period when Vice Admi­ral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (rtd.) served as the Sole Administrator.

The lawmakers made the dis­closure on Thursday during their resumed plenary following the expiration of the emergency rule declared in the state by President Bola Tinubu on March 18, 2025, following the political crisis in the state.

The resolve of the lawmakers came after a motion sponsored by nine members of the House, Hon. Major Jack, House Leader; Hon. Linda Somiari Stewart, Deputy Leader; Hon. Sylvanus Nwankwo, Omuma Constituency, and Hon. Granville Wellington, Asari-Toru Constituency.

Other members are Hon. Justina Emeji, Emohua Constitu­ency; Hon. Barile Nwakoh, Kha­na Constituency; Hon. Igwe Obey Aforji-Eleme Constituency; Hon. Enemi Alabo George, Asari-Toru Constituency II, and Hon. Tonye Adoki Smart, Port Harcourt Con­stituency II.

The Leader of the House, Hon. Major Jack, who read out the mo­tion to the Speaker, Hon. Martin Amaewhule, emphasised that the emergency rule ended 12 mid­night, Thursday, adding that the decision restored all democratic structures in the state.

He asserted that there was a peace parley that ushered in peace in the state, noting that the peace must be sustained.

Jack said one of the gains of the emergency rule was the success­ful conduct of local government elections on the August, 30, that produced the 23 local government area chairmen and councillors, stating that the House is aware that the Rivers State Executive Council needs to be fully constituted in line with the provisions of the constitu­tion and terms of the peace parley.

Jack also noted that there is need to synergise with the gover­nor towards setting out a financial plan or budget that will reflect the current yearnings of the good peo­ple of the state knowing fully well that the governor and the House never sighted and made no input to the budget implemented during the emergency rule.

The motion reads, “There are several awards of contracts and funds spent from the Consolidated Revenue Account of the state for this purpose during the emergen­cy rule by the out-gone administra­tor and there is the need to come up with a true picture of what transpired.

“Knowing that the third session of the 10th Assembly commenced in June 2025, but leg­islative business was adversely af­fected by the emergency rule and there is still no legislative agenda for making of laws and oversight functions to address the current realities for the remaining part of this session.

“Pursuant to the foregoing, we wish to respectfully pray this Au­gust House to resolve as follows: commend the President and Com­mander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for restoring democratic institutions in the state.

“Declare that the House would continue to abide by all the terms of the peace parley and the consti­tution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the interest of peace and good governance of Rivers State.

“Call on the executive governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, to forward the list of his nominees for appoint­ment as commissioners into the State Executive Council in line with constitution and terms of the peace parley.

“Call on the governor to com­mence the process or come up with an appropriation law for the remaining part of the year to ad­dress current realities.

“Ascertain what transpired in the last six months with regards to award of contracts and expen­ditures from the consolidated rev­enue fund of the state.

“Immediately outline the leg­islative agenda for the remaining part of the third session of the 10th Assembly to reflect current realities.

“Make any other orders this House may deem necessary in the circumstance.”

Rivers Emergency Rule Will Hurt Nigeria’s Democracy For Long — Obi

Again, Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, has lamented over the aftermath of Rivers State emergency rule, say­ing that the constitutional breach will hurt Nigeria’s democracy for a long time.

Obi stated this on his X, on Thursday, while reacting to Presi­dent Bola Tinubu’s reinstatement of Rivers governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Nma Odu and the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly after lifting the emergency rule.

Obi, who congratulated resi­dents and indigenes of the state over the restoration of democratic government, stressed that the six-month state of emergency will remain a sour side of Nigeria’s democracy.

He, however, charged Fubara and the reinstated members of the state Assembly to learn from the event and embrace peace.

“The restoration of democra­cy in Rivers State after six months of needless disruption remains a sour side of our democracy today.

“It was a constitutional breach that will hurt our democracy for a long time.

“I just hope that some lessons were learned by all the gladiators in the Rivers State impasse.

“Great minds remind us that the only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.

“A true leader is the one who admits his/her mistakes, is smart enough to learn from them, and is strong enough to correct them.

“I would like to congratulate the good people of Rivers State for their endurance in the face of provocations.

“And to appeal to Governor Siminalaya Fubara, the members of the state House of Assembly and all the political leaders in the state to embrace peace and forge ahead.

“The real mistake is the one where we end up learning nothing. Be assured that a new Nigeria is Possible and inevitable,” Obi not­ed.

I Won’t Recommend Commissioners For Fubara, Says Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed speculations that he intends to recommend commis­sioners for Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, following the end of the six-month emergency rule in the state.

Speaking on Channels Televi­sion’s ‘Politics Today’ on Thursday, Wike said he has no candidate to impose on the governor and pledged to give him full freedom to run the affairs of the state.

“I cannot go and impose any­thing on the governor. Why would I impose anything on the governor? Assuming I go to the governor and say, ‘I want this,’ will the state col­lapse? I have no candidate, and I will not,” Wike stated.