In a major political realignment, the Rivers Ijaw People’s Congress has publicly withdrawn its support for Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and pledged its allegiance to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. The announcement, made on Saturday during Wike’s “thank you” visit to Okrika Local Government Area, marks a significant blow to the sitting governor amid a prolonged and bitter feud with his predecessor.
The group’s chairman,Senator George Sekibo, formally declared the shift in loyalty before supporters. He described the ongoing rift between Fubara and Wike as “very unfortunate” but framed the decision as one rooted in gratitude. Sekibo recalled that Wike played a key role in Fubara’s emergence as governor. “Ijaw people are very grateful people. That is why we abandoned him (Fubara) and said we will follow you,” Sekibo stated directly to Wike.
The event served as a platform for Wike to launch a sharp counterattack against Governor Fubara.He responded to recent comments where the governor reportedly referred to his critics as makers of “political noise” or “barking dogs”. “That same dog barked and helped make you governor,” Wike retorted. He vowed that Fubara would not win a second term in 2027, accusing him of failing to honor peace agreements brokered by President Bola Tinubu.
This move is part of a wider collapse of the political structure that originally supported Governor Fubara.Just a day earlier, during a visit to another local government, the former factional chairman of the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), previously loyal to Fubara, announced the handover of his group to a committee aligned with Wike, declaring an end to factionalism within the party.
The political crisis is creating conflicting claims over who leads the state’s politics.While Wike asserts his dominance, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has officially clarified that Governor Fubara is the recognized leader of the APC in Rivers State. Yilwatda cited the party’s constitution, which designates governors as party leaders in their states.
In contrast to the heated rhetoric,Governor Fubara struck a conciliatory tone in his New Year’s message. He assured residents that the state would not descend into political war and expressed his reliance on prayer and faith rather than “instruments of war”. He also expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s re-election prospects in 2027.
Wike indicated that decisions regarding the 2027 elections have already been made.During his visit, he also advised traditional rulers to refrain from direct involvement in politics, signaling an intent to control the political game without interference.
The public abandonment of Governor Fubara by a key ethnic constituency represents one of the most dramatic turns in the Rivers political crisis, setting the stage for an intense struggle for control of the state’s future.
