Siminalayi Fubara currently serves as the governor of Rivers State, located in Nigeria’s south-south geopolitical zone. He has openly credited his 2023 election victory to the backing of his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who now holds the position of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
In Nigerian political terms, Wike is considered Fubara’s ‘political godfather.’ However, Wike’s efforts to retain control over Rivers State are being firmly challenged by his ‘political godson,’ Governor Fubara. This clash was bound to be intense, given the state’s history of political violence and Wike’s strategic placement of loyalists in both the state legislature and Fubara’s cabinet.
Fubara is not only confident in his ability to contest Wike’s influence but is also determined to surpass him. Wike, now a key ally of President Bola Tinubu, would have contested against Tinubu if he had secured the PDP’s presidential or vice-presidential nomination before the 2023 election. While Wike brings decades of political experience, having held various positions since 1999, Fubara is demonstrating his own adeptness at navigating the complexities of Nigerian politics.
This struggle for dominance over one of Nigeria’s most politically and economically significant states has affected multiple institutions. The Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) has seen its active membership shrink from 33 to just 4, after 27 members, including the former Speaker, lost their seats due to defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The political turmoil has led to violent incidents, including the destruction of RSHA properties, arson attacks on three local government offices, and fatalities.
The crisis has also weakened President Tinubu’s moral authority, as his attempts to broker peace have failed. The judiciary has been drawn into the conflict, with courts in Rivers State ruling in Fubara’s favor, while the Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the state’s 2024 budget.
As Fubara continues his fight, Nigerians are witnessing the fragile nature of the rule of law and the lack of political decorum among the country’s leaders.