Fubara's strategic blunder reshapes Rivers' political landscape

Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, made a shocking announcement on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, that he would be withdrawing from the All Progressives Congress, APC’s governorship primary, which was scheduled to take place the following day, Thursday, May 21.

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Fubara cited the need to prioritize the peace and stability of Rivers State, as well as the supremacy of the party, as the reasons behind his decision, stating that "Leadership is ultimately about sacrifice" and that "there comes a time when personal ambition must yield to the greater good of the people".

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He expressed his gratitude to his supporters, acknowledging their disappointment and anger, and urged them to understand that some truths are best kept quiet for the sake of peace and a greater purpose, saying "not everything a hunter sees in the forest is spoken of in the marketplace".

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Before Fubara's withdrawal, four aspirants had indicated interest in contesting the gubernatorial primary, including three from the Kalabari stock: Fubara, Tonye Cole, and Dr. Dax George Kelly, as well as Hon. Kingsley Chinda from the Ikwerre stock, who later won the primary unopposed.

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Sources revealed that Fubara had met with his close allies on Tuesday night and informed them of his plans to withdraw from the primary, which came as no surprise given that his name was missing from the APC screening committee's list of cleared candidates.

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The committee had cleared Dax, Chinda, and Cole to stand for the shadow election, but the three Kalabari aspirants, including Fubara, stepped down one after another, leaving the space for Chinda to emerge as the winner.

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Fubara's decision to withdraw from the primary has plunged his supporters into a state of uncertainty and anger, with many feeling betrayed and disappointed by his sudden change of heart.

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The governor's camp is now characterized by discordant posturing, with flames of anger, fury, and regret burning brightly, marking a significant shift from the once robust relationship between Fubara and his followers.

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The political strangulation of Fubara began barely four months into his administration in 2023, with what started as mere smoke eventually snowballing into a full-blown debacle, including the bombing of the Assembly complex and Fubara's miraculous escape from three impeachment attempts.

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A state of emergency was declared, and Fubara was sent home on six months suspension, along with his deputy and the Assembly, but he remained oblivious to the warning signs, and instead, decamped to the APC last December, believing it would save his political future.

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However, it has become clear that Fubara was lured into the APC to be politically clipped and cascaded into oblivion, with his relationship with the APC state Exco, led by an ally of Minister Nyesom Wike, Chief Tony Okocha, being frosty, and 22 out of 23 local government chairmen in the state being Wike's men.

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Fubara's loyalists were summarily disqualified from the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, and Senate polls, with no reasons given, and the governor was still unaware of the impending doom, including the harassment of former deputy governor and senator, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, who was disqualified from seeking reelection.

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The position will now be filled by Wike's ally, Felix Obuah, leaving Fubara with no structure of his own, both in the state and at the federal levels, making him vulnerable to impeachment and political suffocation.

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Reactions have trailed Fubara's decision, with some hailing it as a sacrificial move, while others are clamoring for him to seek a different political platform for the 2027 general elections, and some are pushing for restraint, including Prof. Benjamin Okaba, who warned that going to another party may lead to impeachment.

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Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, a chieftain of the pan Niger Delta Elders Forum, PANDEF, said the governor has been evasive, and it is time for Rivers people to stand up, adding that another Ikwerre man from Obio/Akpo can never be governor of Rivers State.

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There are insinuations that Fubara may dump the APC and align his political future with the National Democratic Congress, NDC, which is convincing given the Federal High Court's judgement against INEC's timelines for party primaries, and the fact that Blessing Fubara, alleged to be Fubara's brother, has picked up the NDC form for governorship.

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A gale of defection from the APC to other political parties, especially by Fubara's allies who were disqualified by the APC screening committee, is imminent, and in this moment of political uncertainty, the people's love for Rivers State remains a constant factor.