Thousands of residents thronged the Rivers State Government House on Thursday to welcome Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, back to office following the lifting of the six-month emergency rule by President Bola Tinubu.
Fubara and Odu are resuming leadership after Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state on March 18, citing a political crisis. Retired Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, who served as sole administrator during the period, formally handed over power on Wednesday night and urged political actors to embrace mutual respect and dialogue.
The political turmoil stemmed from a power struggle between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, which polarized the House of Assembly. Tinubu’s intervention in June, meeting with Fubara, Wike, and other stakeholders, signaled moves toward reconciliation.
Despite opposition, Ibas inaugurated the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) in July, which conducted local government elections on August 30. The All Progressives Congress (APC) won in 20 councils, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured three.
Tinubu, announcing the end of the emergency rule on Wednesday evening, said the measure had averted anarchy in the oil-rich state.
