Rivers Crisis: Fubara Faces ‘Difficult Situation’ Ahead of Return, Says APC’s Tonye Cole

Tonye Cole, the 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has warned that Governor Siminalayi Fubara may find himself unable to fully exercise his constitutional powers when he resumes office after a six-month suspension.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Cole argued that Rivers State — one of Nigeria’s most strategic states — risks having a governor whose decisions would be overshadowed by political interference.

“We cannot be in a situation where we have an elected governor of a state, like Rivers State, which is very critical not just for the people of Rivers but Nigeria as a whole, and what you then see is that you have an elected governor that has zero powers. I don’t think it portends well at all,” Cole said.

He attributed the crisis to Nigeria’s recurring “godfather-godson” syndrome, where outgoing governors impose successors but continue to influence governance. According to him, such conflicts have historically undermined democracy and left ordinary citizens bearing the brunt.

Cole advised Fubara to strike a practical compromise with his predecessor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, to create a functional balance of power.
“What I would do if I were him would be to now sit down with the honourable minister and appeal for some leeway to allow certain decisions to be taken by me as governor, and others to be taken by him, whatever peace agreement they had,” he suggested.

Emergency Rule in Rivers

President Bola Tinubu had, on March 18, 2025, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State amid the escalating political feud between Fubara and the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly. Citing Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, the president suspended the governor, his deputy, and state lawmakers for six months, and appointed retired naval chief Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd.) as sole administrator.

The crisis stemmed from Fubara’s power struggle with Wike, his predecessor, over control of the state’s political structure. In June, Tinubu intervened, bringing Fubara, Wike, and other key actors to the table in a reconciliation meeting.

With the suspension expiring on Thursday, September 18, 2025, Fubara is set to return to office, though observers like Cole believe his ability to govern independently remains uncertain.