Port Harcourt turned into a carnival ground on Thursday as thousands of jubilant Rivers residents thronged the Government House to welcome back Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The atmosphere was electric. From the early hours of the morning, supporters poured in from different parts of the state, women in colourful wrappers, youths with drums slung across their shoulders, and community groups waving banners of solidarity. The air rang with music, chants, and ululations, all in eager anticipation of seeing their governor once again take his seat after a long, uncertain break.
Governor Fubara and his deputy had been out of office for six months following President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State. The decision, triggered by months of political turmoil, had seen retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas take over as sole administrator.
The crisis, rooted in a bitter power struggle between Fubara and his predecessor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, had paralysed governance. The situation reached a boiling point with the bombing and demolition of the State House of Assembly in late 2023, disputes over legislative membership, and allegations of large-scale pipeline vandalism. At one point, even the Supreme Court faulted the governor’s handling of Assembly affairs, calling it a dangerous slide into “despotism” and declaring there was “no functioning government” in the state.
But on Wednesday night, Vice Admiral Ibas handed back the reins of leadership. In a sober farewell broadcast, he urged political leaders in Rivers to put aside their rivalries, embrace dialogue, and protect the fragile peace nurtured during the emergency rule.
For the people, however, Thursday was not about politics but about hope. As the governor’s convoy drew close, the crowds surged with excitement, dancing and singing in defiance of the dark months gone by. For many, Fubara’s return symbolises not just the restoration of a government, but the promise of stability, unity, and a chance to move forward.
