The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister and former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has reasserted his political dominance in Rivers after a prolonged battle with his estranged successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Wike regained control of the state’s local government structure on Saturday following the conduct of council elections across the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
The exercise came after months of political turbulence that pitched Wike against Fubara and split the state’s political structure.
In October 2024, Governor Fubara’s loyalists, contesting under the Action Peoples Party (APP), swept 22 of 23 council chairmanship seats in a controversial poll.
But the Supreme Court, in a unanimous ruling on February 28, 2025, nullified the election and restored an earlier judgment barring RSIEC from conducting the polls until the state’s voter register was updated.
The apex court’s ruling set the stage for Saturday’s elections, which analysts described as a defining moment in the state’s power tussle.
The prolonged crisis in Rivers prompted President Bola Tinubu to declare a six-month state of emergency on March 18, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the State Assembly. The move, according to the presidency, was necessary to restore stability in the oil-rich state.
Following the suspension, President Tinubu convened a peace meeting with both Wike and Fubara at the State House in Abuja.
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Reports indicated that the truce included an agreement for Wike’s loyalists to reclaim positions in the local government structure — a deal that paved the way for Saturday’s polls.
APC and PDP Split in Favour of Wike
Ahead of the elections, Wike’s allies, many of them former PDP stalwarts, defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the leadership of Chief Tony Okocha, where they secured tickets to contest the chairmanship seats.
In 20 LGAs, Wike’s loyalists ran on the APC platform, while three others — including Obio-Akpor (Wike’s LGA), Port Harcourt, and Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni — contested under the PDP.
Despite protests from a rival APC faction that shifted allegiance to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), RSIEC cleared all of Wike’s loyalists to contest.
Fubara’s Absence and Loyalists’ Boycott
Notably absent during the polls was the suspended Governor Fubara, who sources said is currently outside the country and expected back in mid-September when his suspension lapses.
His top aides, including Chief of Staff Edison Ehie and Secretary to the State Government Dr. Tammy Danagogo, also stayed away from the exercise.
Similarly, the 23 council chairmen whose elections were voided by the Supreme Court shunned the polls. A close ally of the governor, speaking anonymously, alleged that the exercise was predetermined:
“We knew the winners before the election started. Why waste time to vote? This is part of the peace deal signed in Abuja. They have taken the power from the governor.”
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Low Turnout, Allegations of Ballot Stuffing
Reports from across the state pointed to widespread voter apathy. By late morning, many polling units were empty, including Ward 17, Unit 054 in Obio-Akpor, where no voters had turned up as of 11:40 a.m.
Some residents accused political thugs of thumb-printing ballot papers for APC candidates. “Our streets were filled with football matches, not voters,” lamented Wisdom Kagbara, a resident of Obio-Akpor.
Another voter in Port Harcourt, Grace Agba, dismissed the exercise as “a waste of resources,” alleging that results had been pre-determined:
“The agreement has been signed and Wike’s men are taking over. This was not an election but pure selection.”
Political observers argue that Wike’s resurgent hold over Rivers politics — spanning both APC and PDP structures — positions him as a key player ahead of the 2027 general elections.
By reclaiming the grassroots, the FCT Minister has secured a vital political advantage while Governor Fubara’s camp faces uncertainty upon his return on September 18.
While RSIEC is yet to officially announce results, the outcome appears tilted in favour of Wike’s camp, marking a significant shift in the state’s political balance.