Suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has responded to widespread calls for his reinstatement by prominent political figures and stakeholders across Rivers State and Nigeria.
Speaking during the service of songs held in honour of the late elder statesman and PANDEF leader, Edwin Clark, in Abuja on Sunday, Fubara made remarks that signaled a deep personal detachment from his former office.
In an unexpected reaction to several passionate speeches urging his reinstatement and condemning the state of emergency declared in Rivers, Fubara said, “Not everything is by Oshogbe. Do you even know if I want to go back there?” He followed up with a striking declaration: “My spirit has already left there.”
His comments came after a series of addresses by political leaders and elders who strongly criticized the suspension of the governor, his deputy, and the entire Rivers State House of Assembly, describing it as unconstitutional and detrimental to democracy.
Fubara, however, distanced himself from the views expressed at the event, stating clearly that the opinions shared were those of the individuals and not necessarily reflective of his own stance. “Those are their personal opinions,” he noted, signaling reluctance to align with the public outcry.
He went on to appeal to the gathering to shift focus away from politics and instead honour the memory of the late Edwin Clark, a revered figure in Nigeria’s socio-political landscape.
Fubara’s statement has added a new twist to the unfolding political situation in Rivers State, leaving many wondering about his political future and the fate of governance in the oil-rich state.
