Fubara’s Political Comeback and the Quiet Rewriting of Rivers Politics

By Abu Sidiq

Politics rarely offers clear reversals, but when it does, they are worth paying attention to. Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s journey over the past year is one of those reversals. From a position of near political helplessness to one of clear control, his resurgence marks a significant shift in Rivers State politics and in the balance of power between him and his former benefactor, Nyesom Wike.

Not long ago, Fubara appeared boxed in. Following the declaration of a state of emergency that led to his suspension, he seemed politically stranded. The Rivers State House of Assembly was firmly aligned with the Minister of the FCT, and impeachment threats loomed openly. At that moment, Fubara was widely viewed as a governor in name only, one whose survival depended on appeasing forces he did not control. Reports that he sought reconciliation with Wike in order to regain his seat only reinforced the perception that his political fate rested elsewhere.

That context makes recent developments striking. Fubara’s return to office did not follow the path many expected. Rather than re-emerge as a weakened governor managing borrowed authority, he has steadily reasserted control. The most decisive move was his defection to the APC, a step that fundamentally altered the political equation in Rivers State. By aligning himself with the party in power at the centre, Fubara effectively removed himself from Wike’s political orbit.

His own words underline that shift. By publicly declaring himself not just a member but the leader of the APC in Rivers State, and by symbolically taking registration number 001, Fubara sent a message that was both political and psychological. He was no longer operating in the shadows or negotiating his relevance. He was staking claim to the centre of power within his state.

The consequences of that move are already visible. Lawmakers previously regarded as loyal to Wike now appear constrained, even hesitant. The reported pressure on the governor to present the 2025 budget, and his refusal to do so on terms he does not accept, suggests a reversal of leverage. Where once the Assembly dictated the tempo, it is now reacting to the governor’s choices.

Perhaps more important than the local dynamics is the shift in access. Fubara is no longer negotiating through intermediaries. He is dealing directly with the President. In Nigerian politics, proximity to the centre matters, and autonomy in managing that relationship matters even more. By engaging the President independently, Fubara has repositioned himself as a political actor in his own right rather than an extension of another man’s influence.

This is why the moment resonates beyond Rivers State. It illustrates how political power in Nigeria is often less about formal titles and more about alignment, timing and nerve. Fubara read the moment, took a risk, and appears to have regained control of both his office and his political future.

Wike remains a formidable figure, but the terrain has changed. Influence that once flowed in one direction is now contested. The former power structure is no longer fixed, and Rivers politics has entered a new phase where loyalty, authority and relevance are being renegotiated in real time.

Politics, as always, remains fluid. But for now, one fact stands out. Siminalayi Fubara is no longer governing at the mercy of others. He is shaping his own path, setting his own terms, and playing the game from a position of strength. In Nigerian politics, that is no small comeback.