Thousands of supporters who thronged the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Thursday morning to welcome Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, left disappointed after waiting for several hours without seeing him.
The crowd, which had gathered as early as 6 a.m. from different parts of the state, including rural areas, began dispersing between 12 noon and 1 p.m. when it became clear that the governor was not showing up.
Among those who mobilised supporters were former local government chairmen loyal to Fubara, including ex-Obio/Akpor chairman Chijoke Ihunwo and former Port Harcourt City chairman Ezebunwo Itche-Mati. They were seen making frantic calls as the governor’s whereabouts remained unknown.
Interestingly, no supporters of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, nor the newly elected LG chairmen aligned with him, were present at the Government House.
Some supporters expressed frustration after the long wait, with one saying, “We are going because we are hungry. Maybe when the governor comes, we will return.”
The development came a day after President Bola Tinubu formally declared an end to the six-month state of emergency imposed on Rivers State in March. The emergency rule, introduced following a political crisis between Fubara and the state assembly loyal to Wike, had led to the dissolution of political structures and the appointment of Ibas as administrator.
With the official end of the emergency rule, Rivers State is now expected to return fully to democratic governance.
