Fubara eyes Rivers Governor’s seat again.
By Steve Ovirih.
State of Emergency rule slammed on Rivers State, in the wake of the turmoil that gripped the state over the tussle between the suspended Governor , Simialayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly six months ago, is gradually going to an end. The President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu pressed the emergency rule to arrest the toxic politicking that was already reaching boiling point in The Garden City and across towns and communities making up Rivers. The Rivers of confusion, bedlam and chaos that the state was turning too over the charge of disloyalty levelled against the State Governor by his godfather and predecessor, Nyesom Wike simmered with the coming of The adhoc Administrator appointed by President Tinubu, Retired Vice Admiral Ibas.
The emergency rule’s life span will terminate in less than 15 days and barring any unforeseen extension of the Rivers Emergency rule, by the pronouncement of the President, full fledge democracy will return to Rivers with the suspended Governor Fubara back in office while the State House of Assembly will start its forlorn Legislative duties.
More importantly, the Local Government election in Rivers State that was one of the major crux of the matter as regards the political chaos that seized the state by the jugular has been resolved. Recall that Gov.Fubara while in office organized a Local Government election that was won in the majority by a third force in the state, Action Alliance . For both warring APC and PDP in Rivers State, this development created a hard nut to crack. The Court which de recognized the Fubara LG poll gave hope to the longing of warring faction which disagreed with Fubara’s political gimmicks. The suspension of Gov. Fubara made sure that his whims and caprices were not imposed on Rivers concerning local and grassroots politics.
Administrator Ibas in his own projection has affected the air of a minstrel whose sole beat of the drum is to ensure Local Government election is successfully held in Rivers and when the jury was out, All Progressives Congress, APC won the majority of the council polls with just two council areas ‘given’ to the opposition , Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. What happened to Action Alliance which swept the poll under Fubara’s watch? Your guess is good as mine.
Among the achievements of Ibas led three month administration of Rivers obviously is the consolidation of the third tier of governance through the successfully held Local Government poll. However, the turn out has simply given Rivers to APC across the grassroots. Needless to say what the ruling party has been longing for, becoming the party of the majority in the state, they got on a silver platter. Ibas effected the inauguration of different board of parastatals in the state and if there was to be an extension of his administration , this would help him in consolidating his administration.
However, Rivers people have frowned at any prospect of extending the state of emergency in the state; that is without bias to the fact that the President has the powers to extend the rule but the question will be to what motive? The crisis envisaged has been nipped in the bud. The elected Governor who had shown a sleight of hand against his hegemonic boss and predecessor has returned to the drawing board ‘ cap in hand’ and to all intent and purpose he has made his peace with the forces that wanted to run him out of political relevance. Understandably, some negotiations behind the scene have been concurred to by the apparently warring factions and politicians in the executive and the legislature who were elected have already become exasperated having stayed out of power for six donkey months.
All eyes are now fixated on the Presidency as the March 18th imposed Rivers State of Emergency terminates on the 18th September. What kind of Executive Governor will Simialayi Fubara be when he returns to power as The Governor of The Garden City State? Will he consolidate his grip in power by remaining a PDP Governor? Will he listen to pieces of advice by those who wanted him to be his own man ( I doubt!); will he openly show camaraderie to his godfather and Minister of FCT, Nyesome Wike and by extension key into whatever folders slammed on his table by the godfather? And the mother of all questions : will Simialayi Fubara bite the bullet , damn the consequences and cross over to the ruling APC? All the questions are in the belly of time but will unravel before our very eyes for answers in a matter of weeks.
