Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara says he is not desperate to return to office, hinting at a sense of detachment from the position following his suspension by the federal government.

Fubara made the remark on Sunday during a service of songs held in Port Harcourt in honour of the late elder statesman Edwin Clark.

Channels TV reports that the event, organized by the Rivers Elders Forum, brought together political leaders and dignitaries who strongly criticized Fubara’s suspension and referred to him repeatedly as “Governor.”

In a surprising response, Fubara distanced himself from those remarks, stressing that they represented personal opinions and were unlikely to aid peace efforts in the state.

“Do you even know if I want to go back there? My spirit has already left there,” Fubara said, alluding to his emotional and mental disengagement from the office.

He added a word of caution regarding the rhetoric and strategies employed by some of his supporters in the ongoing crisis.

“Not everything is by ‘oshogbe,’” he warned, indicating a preference for strategic, non-confrontational methods.

He noted that while well-intentioned, some actions taken by his allies had only served to worsen the situation.

The embattled governor used the moment to redirect focus away from politics and toward celebrating Edwin Clark’s legacy.

He urged attendees to honour the memory of Clark, whom he described as a selfless advocate for the Niger Delta, rather than politicize the event.

Rivers State has been mired in political turmoil since 2023, primarily stemming from a protracted conflict between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The feud escalated to national attention, prompting President Bola Tinubu to intervene in December 2023 and broker a peace agreement. Despite this effort, the crisis deepened.

On March 18, 2025, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State. He subsequently suspended Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the state legislature. In their place, retired naval officer Ibok-Ete Ibas was appointed as the sole administrator, effectively dissolving the elected government and placing the state under federal control.

In response to what they viewed as an unconstitutional move, 11 governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) filed a lawsuit at the Supreme Court challenging the declaration and suspension of the elected officials.

However, the National Assembly countered the lawsuit, urging the Supreme Court to dismiss it. They described the suit as procedurally flawed and lacking merit, arguing that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain it.

They further requested that the court impose a N1 billion fine on the PDP governors for filing what they termed a frivolous and speculative case.

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