Tinubu’s directive triggers new power play in Rivers ahead of 2027

In this report, DENNIS NAKU writes on the uncertain political situation in Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s chances of securing re-election in 2027, and President Bola Tinubu’s directive placing governors above lawmakers, among other related issues

The mood in Rivers State over the past year has been politically calm on the surface, yet uncertain and confusing beneath. There is no gainsaying that the fallout from the political crisis triggered by the disagreement between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his estranged political godfather, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, still hangs over the governance of the oil-rich state.

It is surprising that even after the widely publicised reconciliation between the two political gladiators, following President Bola Tinubu’s repeated intervention, all is still not well, as mutual suspicion continues to linger among the key actors.

Wike’s repeated remarks that the “mistake of 2023 will not be repeated in 2027”—a veiled reference suggesting he may not support his successor’s second-term ambition—has further placed Governor Fubara in a politically tight corner.

Interestingly, apart from the 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Tonye Cole, who has once again picked the party’s nomination form to test his popularity in 2027, no other major political figure has openly declared interest in the Rivers governorship race — a notable departure from previous election cycles.

There are indications that Governor Fubara may soon obtain the party’s form to contest for re-election, amid speculations that Wike has reportedly tipped his kinsman from Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, as his preferred successor.

Chinda, who is said to be edging closer to clinching the Peoples Democratic Party governorship ticket, has remained silent on the 2027 race, unlike the Executive Director of Finance and Administration at the Niger Delta Development Commission, Chief Boma Iyaye—an ally of the FCT Minister—who recently denied any governorship ambition after his name surfaced in political discussions.

Previously, another name had also featured in succession speculations. It was alleged that another close ally of Wike, currently the Executive Director of Projects and Works at the South-South Development Commission, Marcus Nle-Eji, could also be considered for the race.

Although Nle-Eji has not publicly indicated any interest in occupying the state’s top office, a viral photograph showing him shaking hands with President Tinubu in Aso Rock, with Wike standing beside the President, recently stirred political interpretations.

Meanwhile, Wike, while hosting some politicians from the state in his Abuja residence, stated that he has not endorsed anyone to succeed Fubara, insisting that Rivers elders would play a crucial role in the decision. However, his perceived preference for Hon. Chinda continues to strongly resonate within political circles.

However, the lull in political activities in the state has been described as disturbing, with watchers attributing it to Wike’s political style, coupled with his “Rainbow Coalition”— a strategy he adopted to unite members of both the PDP and APC in the state in support of President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid.

But despite the so-called Rainbow, which Wike prefers to describe as a “Joint Coalition,” and his emphasis on “loyalty” in determining who succeeds Governor Fubara, the state chairman of the African Democratic Congress, Chukwudi Dimkpa, recently faulted the claim, insisting that no individual has the unilateral power to determine who becomes governor.

Similarly, the open endorsement of Fubara by the National Secretary of the APC, Ajibola Basiru, during a visit to Rivers State earlier in the year appears to have lost relevance, given unfolding political developments. This is especially so as the party has yet to formally integrate Fubara into its structure, unlike other sitting governors who defected to the ruling party.

Since his reported alignment with the APC, Fubara has remained somewhat peripheral in the party’s activities. This was evident during the APC zonal congress in Delta State, where none of his loyalists secured positions, while two allies of his predecessor — Chief Victor Giadom and Dr. Samuel Nwanosike — emerged as APC Vice National Chairman (South-South) and APC Zonal Publicity Secretary (South-South), respectively.

With political activities gradually gathering momentum ahead of 2027, Fubara’s situation evokes comparisons with the 2023 epic film Gladiator, starring Russell Crowe, in which the emperor describes the protagonist, Maximus, as a gladiator who defies authority, adding: “And everyone wants to know how the story ends.”

The recent directive by President Tinubu placing governors above lawmakers in their respective states appears, on the surface, to favour Fubara. However, unfolding political realities in Rivers State suggest that its implementation may prove difficult, marking what could be a bumpy political path ahead.

Fubara’s relationship with the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly remains frosty, despite President Tinubu’s clear directive urging both sides to halt impeachment-related tensions.

Since their reinstatement in September 2025, following the lifting of the state of emergency, the lawmakers have not been sitting regularly. In fact, they have met fewer than five times in 2026, with their last sitting in March, when they considered a list of commissioner-nominees forwarded by Governor Fubara. Of the nine nominees, four were rejected while five were confirmed.

Notably, of the 29 members of the House, 10 belong to the PDP, while the majority are members of the APC. However, three lawmakers who had aligned with Fubara during the crisis, under the then factional Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo, are yet to return to the House seven months after the end of the emergency rule. They have also not been acknowledged in plenary by Speaker Amaewhule and his colleagues.

A public commentator working with the Rivers State Government, who spoke on condition of anonymity, commended the presidential directive, describing it as a boost to the authority of incumbent governors. He noted that, however contentious it may appear, lawmakers may have little choice but to align with the state chief executive.

He further argued that the directive also serves as a form of political recompense for Governor Fubara’s perceived role in ensuring the state’s alignment with the APC, although some analysts believe the governor was persuaded into leaving the PDP to facilitate the party’s takeover of the state.