BREAKING: Fubara finally touches down in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has finally returned to the state capital, Port Harcourt.

He arrived at the Port Harcourt International Airport at approximately 11:50 a.m. on Friday, more than a day after President Bola Tinubu lifted the six-month emergency administration in the state.

A large group of supporters, who had gathered earlier at the VIP wing of the airport, welcomed the governor on his arrival.

Although the House of Assembly reconvened on Thursday, Fubara did not appear at the Government House, despite hundreds of supporters waiting to greet him.

A crowd of residents had gathered outside the Government House on Thursday, September 18, 2025, anticipating the governor’s arrival.

Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, have been absent from state governance for six months, following the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers on March 18 by President Bola Tinubu, who cited political instability.

Tinubu had sworn in retired Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as administrator of the state during the emergency period.

Ibas, who returned control to Fubara on Wednesday night, encouraged political stakeholders in Rivers to embrace dialogue and mutual respect during a state broadcast.

After his inauguration in May 2023, Fubara clashed with his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over control of the state—a common dynamic between current and former governors in Nigeria.

This dispute extended to the House of Assembly, creating divisions among lawmakers.

The tension culminated in the declaration of a state of emergency on March 18, 2025, and the appointment of retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as the sole administrator of the oil-rich state.
In June, President Tinubu convened a meeting with Fubara, Wike, Speaker Ikuinyi Amaewhule, and other assembly members, marking a step toward reconciliation.

Despite criticism, Ibas inaugurated the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), led by Michael Odey, in July. This paved 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 victories in three areas.

While announcing the end of the emergency rule on Wednesday evening, Tinubu noted that the crisis could have led to chaos if the state of emergency had not been imposed in March 2025.