By Mary Onyia
The emergency rule in Rivers State ended Thursday, and the House of Assembly reconvened for the first time in months. However, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, were absent.
Governor Fubara, who reportedly traveled abroad around March 18, 2025, shortly after the emergency proclamation was issued, has yet to return to Nigeria. His absence has generated further discussion regarding the political situation in the oil-rich state. Speaking on Channels Television, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Fubara’s predecessor, Nyesom Wike, stated that he had spoken with the governor, who “promised to return soon.”
Supporters of Governor Fubara, who gathered at the Assembly complex in anticipation of his return, departed after waiting for several hours. Many had expected the governor to resume duties following months of federal administration.
Undeterred by the governor’s absence, the Assembly quickly swung into action at its first sitting in half a year. Lawmakers demanded that Governor Fubara forward the list of commissioner-nominees for screening and confirmation, as well as submit the state’s appropriation bill for legislative consideration.
The emergency rule, declared in March after months of political turmoil and violent clashes between rival factions in Rivers State, remains a subject of controversy. While some stakeholders credited President Tinubu for restoring calm, others accused him of overreach and political manipulation.
Wike has praised the president’s intervention as “timely,” insisting that the measure helped stabilise governance. In contrast, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, dismissed the emergency rule as a “travesty” and “illegality,” questioning both its necessity and constitutionality.
As Rivers State enters a new phase, uncertainty lingers over the leadership vacuum created by Fubara’s prolonged absence. Observers say his prompt return and decisive engagement with both the legislature and the people will be critical in shaping the state’s post-emergency political landscape.