Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s political future has come under fresh scrutiny following his public declaration that he is no longer the leader of his political supporters, urging them instead to recognise the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, as their common leader.

Fubara made the declaration on Tuesday, October 27, during the unveiling of candidates of the Rainbow Coalition for the 2027 general elections at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt.

Addressing the gathering, the governor said members of his former support base should stop referring to him as their political leader, explaining that the reconciliation between his camp and Wike’s political group had brought them together under one political arrangement.

He acknowledged that some supporters who stood by him during the prolonged political crisis still addressed him as their leader during meetings, but insisted that the practice should end.

Fubara said he remained the state governor but that the political bloc now had a common leader, identifying Wike as the head of the Rainbow Coalition.

He also expressed appreciation to Wike, saying he would not have become governor without the former governor’s political support. He pledged to work towards the victory of President Bola Tinubu and other candidates endorsed by the coalition in the 2027 elections.

The development followed a series of reconciliation meetings between the two camps between August and October 2026, aimed at resolving the political disagreements that had divided the state.

The crisis, which began after Fubara fell out with his predecessor, Wike, involved a prolonged dispute with members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. It culminated in President Tinubu declaring a state of emergency in March 2025, leading to the suspension of the governor, his deputy and the lawmakers. They were reinstated in September 2025.

The reconciliation process reportedly included agreements to accommodate members of Fubara’s political camp within the emerging coalition. Three lawmakers previously aligned with the governor were also reinstated.

However, Fubara’s latest declaration has generated mixed reactions among political stakeholders, with some of his former supporters expressing concern over the implications for his political independence.

The Paramount Ruler of Egwebe in Andoni Local Government Area, HRH Ubokikwan Gabriel Ogbologwung, criticised the governor’s position, arguing that it could weaken the confidence of grassroots supporters who stood by him during the crisis.

An Ijaw elder, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, also suggested that the governor’s decision could affect the political balance in the state, while questioning the circumstances surrounding his acceptance of Wike’s leadership.

Other political observers offered a different interpretation. Former member of the House of Representatives, Prince Ogbonna Nwuke, said the governor’s action could be viewed as an effort to secure peace, adding that Fubara was entitled to explain the reasons behind his decision.

President of the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum, Prof. Godknows Igali, said the governor had the right to relinquish or retain political authority, noting that both men had previously belonged to the same political family.

The political implications of the reconciliation remain uncertain, particularly regarding Fubara’s influence within the coalition and his prospects beyond his current tenure.