Fubara’s emergence as Rivers governor contentious, says Tonye Cole

Former All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, has said Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s emergence was controversial from the outset.

Cole urged political actors to use the current situation to chart a new course for governance in the state.

He stated this on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

He commented on Fubara’s reconciliation with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the political developments in Rivers State.

The APC chieftain said he believed Fubara must have consulted with his associates before deciding to reconcile with Wike in order to complete his tenure without further political distractions.

He stated, “My assumption is that the governor would have gone with his own close allies, discussed with them, and said that this is the best way, that he has to move forward for the next six months or thereabouts of his administration. I would assume that’s what he did.

“But I am not in his chamber, so I wouldn’t know. But that’s what I would assume he would do.”

Cole said that having chosen to remain in office after the political crisis, the governor now has a responsibility to focus on governance rather than prolonging the conflict.

“But the battle that was fought? Now, what do you do? Do you walk away? If he was going to walk away then, he should not have come back as governor.

“But having taken the responsibility to come and finish his term, then he has to finish it in the way that allows him to govern. He can’t go back into fighting.” Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Photo: State government

He argued that Fubara’s path to office had been disputed from the beginning, adding that the prolonged face-off between the governor and his predecessor had negatively affected the state.

He said, “First of all, the method with which he came into power in the first instance was contentious. Throughout the period when he was there, the contention between himself and his predecessor had a lot of problems for River State.

“So that could not have been the wishes of the people. People looked for something different; they didn’t get it.”

Cole, however, expressed hope that the current political climate presents an opportunity for Rivers State to embrace a new style of leadership and a more transparent electoral process.

“Now we have an opportunity, and I come back to this – we have an opportunity in Rivers State, and I’m praying this time around that it will work.

“We have an opportunity in Rivers State to set a different type of governance, a different type of process in electing those who represent us in power. My prayer is that we do it right,” he said.

Fubara and Wike have been locked in a prolonged political feud since shortly after the governor assumed office in May 2023.

The crisis split the Rivers State House of Assembly, disrupted governance and led to a series of legal and political battles over control of the state’s political structure.

In March 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy and members of the House of Assembly for six months, while appointing a sole administrator to oversee the state.

The emergency rule was lifted after the suspension elapsed, with Fubara returning to office following a reconciliation brokered by the President between him and Wike.

Since his return, the governor has resumed official duties and pledged to work with all stakeholders to restore stability and focus on governance, although political observers say tensions within the state’s political class remain.