Fubara Under Fire: Rivers LG Chairmen Accuse Governor Of Total Betrayal

With just about two years to the 2027 general elections, Rivers State’s political terrain is already taking new shape, as a grand strategy unfolds to secure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory in the oil-rich state.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Last month, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) announced a fresh date—August 30, 2025—for the local government elections.

This development follows the annulment of the October 5, 2024, polls conducted under suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and the subsequent declaration of a state of emergency in the state on March 18.

The former RSIEC Chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.), had earlier scheduled the elections for August 9. But his successor, Michael Odey, whose appointment drew protests and condemnation at the National Assembly, shifted the date citing Section 13(5) of the RSIEC Law.

Odey explained:
“Considering recent developments, and in line with Section 13(5) of the RSIEC Law—which allows for a shift in the event of possible breach of peace or emergencies—the Commission has decided to reschedule. By the powers vested in the Commission, I hereby announce Saturday, August 30, 2025, as the date for chairmanship and councillorship elections across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.”

It would be recalled that some loyalists of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had earlier boycotted the annulled October 5 polls, citing constitutional violations, especially RSIEC’s failure to issue the mandatory 90-day notice required for parties to mobilize.

The new date has once again heightened suspicion that the process is being tilted to serve vested interests ahead of 2027.

Meanwhile, suspended Governor Fubara has maintained silence, leaving his camp unsettled.

A supporter told Vanguard under anonymity:
“This man (Fubara) has thrown all of us under the bus. He has given no directive, and those of us who risked everything for him have been abandoned.”

According to sources, Fubara was offered three PDP slots to nominate candidates but declined, with only one—his ally, a former chairman of Opobo Nkoro LGA—making the list.

The same source revealed that the former Opobo Nkoro council boss was recently spotted at an APC primary, fueling speculation that Fubara may be plotting to dump the PDP for the ruling APC.

It is worth recalling that part of the peace deal Fubara reportedly signed following his suspension included a condition that he defect to the APC.