Rivers: Wike regains control of political structure as Fubara, loyalists boycott LG polls

Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister and former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has regained his political influence in the state after a prolonged face-off with his successor, Siminalayi Fubara.

The Minister recaptured the local government structure on Saturday following the election conducted in the 23 Local Government Areas of the state by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC.

The elections were conducted after the political crisis that tore the state apart.

Recall that in the heat of the crisis last year, Governor Fubara conducted a highly controversial local government election, with his men sweeping relatively all the chairmanship positions.

Fubara’s loyalists had contested the election conducted on October 4, 2024 under the Action Peoples Party, APP, and won 22 out of the 23 chairmanship positions in the state.

However, the Supreme Court on February 28, 2025, nullified the election, following an appeal brought before the apex court by the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The court, in a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Jamilu Tukur, invalidated the election after it restored a judgment of the Federal High Court, which earlier in 2024 restrained RSIEC from proceeding with the conduct of the council polls on the grounds that the state’s voter’s register must be updated before the conduct of the poll.

Fubara’s suspension and reconciliation with Wike

Worried by the impact of the prolonged feud between Wike and his then estranged political son, President Bola Tinubu on March 18, declared a state of emergency in Rivers and suspended Governor Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly for six months.