Suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has said he has no desire to return to office, declaring that his “spirit” has already moved on from Government House.
Fubara made the comment on Sunday while speaking at a service of songs held in Port Harcourt in honour of the late elder statesman and PANDEF leader, Edwin Clark.
The embattled governor addressed supporters and elders who had hailed him during tributes and repeatedly referred to him as “governor,” despite his suspension following the federal declaration of emergency rule in the state.
“Have you asked yourself, do you think I’m interested in going back there?” Fubara asked the audience.
“I want to ask you—don’t you see how much better I’m doing? If I had my way, I would say this is it. This is the will of God. I don’t wish to go back there. My spirit has left that place.”
Okay.ng reports that Fubara distanced himself from some of the political remarks made during the event, describing them as personal opinions that do not reflect his approach.
He warned that such sentiments risk worsening the fragile situation in the state.
While reaffirming his respect for Clark and his legacy, Fubara cautioned against turning a memorial service into a political rally.
He expressed concern that some of his backers were escalating tensions instead of supporting efforts for reconciliation and peace.
Fubara has been at the centre of a bitter political feud with his predecessor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, since late 2023.
A brief ceasefire was brokered by President Bola Tinubu in December, but hostilities resumed months later.
President Tinubu invoked emergency powers on March 18, 2025, suspending Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and the entire Rivers State House of Assembly.
Retired naval chief Ibok-Ete Ibas was appointed sole administrator, marking the first time in decades that the federal government directly took over a state.
In reaction, 11 PDP governors approached the Supreme Court, challenging the constitutionality of Tinubu’s intervention.
The National Assembly, however, pushed back, urging the court to dismiss the case and requesting ₦1 billion in penalties, accusing the governors of filing a “frivolous and speculative” lawsuit.
