BREAKING: Fubara finally returns to Port Harcourt after six-month emergency rule

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has finally returned to Port Harcourt, the state capital, after six months of absence following the declaration of a state of emergency.

Fubara touched down at the Port Harcourt International Airport at about 11:50 a.m. on Friday, where a large crowd of supporters gathered at the VIP wing to receive him.

His return came more than 24 hours after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu formally lifted the emergency administration in Rivers State.

Despite the reconvening of the House of Assembly on Thursday, Fubara did not appear at the Government House, where hundreds of residents had also gathered to await him.

Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, had been absent from governance since March 18, 2025, when President Tinubu imposed emergency rule in Rivers, citing political instability.

During the period, retired Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas served as sole administrator. He formally handed over control to Fubara on Wednesday night, urging political stakeholders to embrace dialogue and mutual respect.

Fubara’s political crisis traces back to his rift with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, over control of the state. The feud split the House of Assembly, with rival factions clashing over loyalty.

In June, Tinubu summoned Fubara, Wike, Speaker Ikuinyi Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to Abuja in a bid to reconcile the factions.

Despite criticism, Ibas inaugurated the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) in July, paving the way for local government elections across 23 councils on August 30. The All Progressives Congress (APC) won 20 councils, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured three.

Announcing the end of the emergency rule on Wednesday, Tinubu defended his decision, saying:
“The crisis could have degenerated into chaos if the state of emergency had not been declared in March.”