Suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has strongly refuted allegations made by President Bola Tinubu during his national broadcast on March 18, where a state of emergency was declared in Rivers State.
In his address, President Tinubu accused Fubara of dismantling the state legislature, failing to curb militant threats, and neglecting security concerns, which he argued had created a governance vacuum in the state.
However, in a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, Fubara countered the claims, asserting that the crisis in Rivers was largely triggered by comments and actions of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
President Tinubu, in his speech, criticized Fubara for allegedly allowing lawlessness in the state, referencing threats by militants and the destruction of vital oil infrastructure. The President also accused the governor of demolishing the Rivers State House of Assembly complex in December 2023 and failing to rebuild it after 14 months.
Fubara, however, described these claims as misinformed, stating that he has actively worked to maintain peace and security in the state.
“It is important to clarify that Governor Fubara has nothing to do with the threats by militants and did not in any way encourage or permit attacks on any oil facility in the state,” the statement read.
He emphasized that his administration has been committed to safeguarding critical infrastructure and has consistently called for peace, highlighting his role in the Presidential Committee on the Protection of Oil Installations.
Addressing Tinubu’s claim that he abandoned the Rivers State House of Assembly complex after its demolition, Fubara insisted that reconstruction efforts were already in progress, with the project now 80% complete.
He further accused Wike of previously neglecting the Assembly complex, recalling that during his tenure as governor, Wike dismissed concerns about its deteriorating state and refused to approve its renovation.
“When the Assembly Quarters was commissioned in August 2022, Wike criticized the lawmakers for the poor state of the complex and declined requests to renovate it. The current administration took action based on expert recommendations and is ensuring a modern legislative facility is completed,” Fubara’s statement added.
Fubara also attributed the rising tensions in Rivers to controversial remarks made by Wike about the Ijaw ethnic group. During a live media chat, Wike had downplayed the influence of the Ijaw people in Nigerian politics, sparking outrage among key Niger Delta stakeholders, including the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and its youth wing, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC).
The governor maintained that while Wike’s statements fueled ethnic tensions, his own supporters had remained peaceful.
He accused Wike’s loyalists of inciting violence, pointing to incidents where local government secretariats were attacked and burned.
“It is well-documented that during the most peaceful and violence-free local government election in Rivers on October 5, 2024, supporters of the FCT Minister attacked and set fire to several council secretariats. Despite these provocations, Governor Fubara’s supporters did not retaliate,” the statement read.
Fubara urged security agencies to focus on identifying the true instigators of violence rather than accepting one-sided narratives. He maintained that his administration has prioritized law and order, invested in security personnel and infrastructure, and played a crucial role in increasing Nigeria’s oil revenue since assuming office.
“It is clearly untrue that a governor who has consistently advocated for peace and non-violence, even under extreme provocation, would be accused of encouraging attacks on oil pipelines. The real perpetrators of violence should be investigated and held accountable,” Fubara concluded.
