- Fubara returns after six-month suspension over Rivers political crisis.
- His feud with Wike triggered defections, court battles, and violence.
- Tinubu declared emergency after Assembly turmoil and impeachment threats.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State is set to return to office on Thursday, September 18, 2025, after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu lifted the six-month state of emergency imposed on the state.
Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly were suspended in March following a prolonged political crisis that paralyzed governance in the oil-rich state.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the political feud between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, escalated soon after Fubara assumed office in May 2023. The rift split the State Assembly into rival factions, disrupted legislative functions, and triggered a series of violent protests, defections, legal battles, and court rulings that ultimately led to Tinubu’s proclamation of emergency rule in March 2025.
Below is a timeline of major incidents that shaped the crisis:
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October 29, 2023: A section of the Assembly complex was set ablaze by unknown persons.
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October 30, 2023: Assembly suspended four members, initiated impeachment move against Fubara, and replaced House Leader Edison Ehie with Major Jack. On the same day, Ehie declared himself Speaker with support from three suspended members.
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November–December 2023: A flurry of court injunctions deepened the crisis. The Assembly complex was demolished, 27 lawmakers defected, commissioners resigned, and parallel sittings emerged. Fubara signed the 2023 budget amid competing claims of legitimacy.
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December 18, 2023: An eight-point presidential resolution was reached after Tinubu intervened, but tensions persisted.
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January 2024: The Assembly amended laws limiting the governor’s powers. Commissioners resigned repeatedly, and Edison Ehie was sworn in as Chief of Staff.
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April–June 2024: Fubara withheld local government funds, relocated a faction of the Assembly to Government House, and continued appointments screened by a minority faction. Courts issued conflicting rulings on defections, local government laws, and legislative authority.
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July 2024: The Court of Appeal reinstated Martins Amaewhule and 26 lawmakers, affirming their legitimacy. The Assembly issued ultimatums to Fubara and shut down state expenditure.
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August–October 2024: Courts voided budgets, froze Rivers’ accounts, and nullified local government laws. Protests turned violent, and dynamite explosions rocked parts of Port Harcourt.
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February 2025: The Supreme Court upheld earlier rulings against Fubara, affirming Ameawhule as Speaker and nullifying actions by rival factions.
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March 2025: Following renewed impeachment threats and appeals from political stakeholders, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency. The National Assembly approved the decision, effectively removing Fubara from office for six months.

Fubara’s return tomorrow marks a critical moment in Rivers politics, with observers watching closely to see whether the fragile peace can hold or whether old rivalries will resurface.
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