Abuja, Nigeria – Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has defended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s decision to remain out of the public eye following the end of a six-month suspension ordered by President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking on Channels Television Thursday night, Wike dismissed mounting questions over the governor’s absence, insisting that “no law compels Governor Fubara to show up at the office the next day.”
“Governance isn’t about sitting behind a desk. The governor can determine when and how to resume his official duties,” Wike said.
Background: Rivers’ Six-Month Political Freeze
President Tinubu had declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, citing total paralysis of governance and violent clashes between rival factions loyal to Wike and Fubara.
The president argued that vandalism of national assets and the legislature’s inability to pass an appropriation bill threatened both the economy and public order.
On September 17, 2025, Tinubu announced the lifting of the emergency after months of federal control, restoring civilian governance and reinstating Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the state’s House of Assembly.
While Assembly members reconvened the next day, neither Fubara nor his deputy made a public appearance, fueling speculation about a possible power play.
⚡ Political Undertones
The emergency stemmed from a long-running feud between Wike, now FCT minister, and his handpicked successor Fubara over control of Rivers’ political machinery.
Critics have questioned Tinubu’s constitutional authority to suspend elected officials during an emergency, but the president cited Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, arguing that a true state of emergency requires the temporary removal of key officeholders.
Wike on Social Media Attacks
Wike also weighed in on online criticism of President Tinubu, including a viral post by activist Omoyele Sowore labeling the president a criminal.
“Nigeria has become a nation where anyone can call the president anything and nothing happens,” Wike remarked, calling for more respectful discourse even amid political disagreements.
