The scene in Port Harcourt on Thursday was both dramatic and humiliating, thousands of men and women who had woken up before dawn to show loyalty to Governor Siminalayi Fubara ended up standing in the sun, sweating and waiting, only to return home empty-handed. No governor, no address, no assurance. Just silence and hunger. The so-called “people’s governor” turned his own supporters into stranded spectators outside the very seat of power.
The Governor Who Never Showed Up
Fubara’s people came with expectations. Some travelled from villages, some left their businesses, and others came simply to prove that they still believe in him after months of political battles. Yet, by noon, the truth was clear: the governor was not coming out. Even his own men, the sacked local government chairmen who have been his backbone—were confused. They made calls, whispered to each other, but there was no word from the governor.
Wike’s Shadow Still Lingers
The most striking part was not just Fubara’s absence, but the total absence of Nyesom Wike’s people too. Not a single loyalist of the FCT Minister bothered to show up. While Fubara’s side stood sweating in the sun, Wike’s camp stayed away, unbothered, almost as if to remind everyone who truly controls the political chessboard in Rivers State.
This is the tragedy of Fubara’s position. He is technically the governor, but the throne he sits on looks more like a stool borrowed from Wike’s palace.
Hunger, Anger, and Frustration
The mood of the abandoned supporters captured the frustration. Some left after saying they were hungry. Others grumbled that they might return “when the governor finally comes.” But that statement itself was painful, why should people who came to support their own governor be reduced to waiting like beggars for crumbs of attention? Leadership is not about hiding, and politics is not about leaving your crowd stranded.
If Fubara cannot manage the optics of meeting his own supporters after the end of the emergency rule, how does he plan to manage Rivers State when the real battles of governance begin?
Will Fubara Crawl Back to Wike?
With the expiration of the six-month emergency rule and Tinubu declaring Rivers “back to full democracy,” the stage was set for Fubara’s big return. Instead, his absence left the impression of weakness.
Will Fubara stand as a governor in his own right, or will he eventually crawl back to Wike, the man who made him and can still break him?
