Fubara Drops Out of Rivers Governorship Race, Sparks Anger and Celebration

Mixed reactions have flooded Rivers State after several key aspirants, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, withdrew from the governorship race.

Supporters of Fubara are voicing deep disappointment. Many feel betrayed, saying the governor encouraged his loyalists to rally behind him, only to back down without confronting the political might of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. “He left us with no hope,” one aggrieved supporter said in a viral video.

On the other hand, Wike’s supporters are celebrating. They see the withdrawals as proof of the minister’s political grip, with one famously declaring, “No one can reap where he did not sow.”

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) didn’t hold back. They called Fubara’s exit from the APC primaries “a disappointing act of political cowardice” and “a surrender to intimidation.” According to the group, the governor’s explanation that he stepped down for peace and unity rings hollow. If he truly believed in his mandate, HURIWA argued, he should have faced the democratic process head on.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said the crisis reflects a growing nationwide dissatisfaction with the ruling party’s internal instability. ADC chairman Chukwudi Dimkpa called it an internal APC affair, but noted it highlights “uncertainty and instability” within Rivers’ political structure.

HURIWA went further, warning that the withdrawals confirm fears that both the APC and PDP in Rivers are now under the overwhelming influence of a single individual Wike. Whoever emerges as a candidate, the group said, may end up as “a political mole or surrogate” loyal to the minister, not the people of Rivers.

Videos circulating online show subdued moods across the state yesterday, as Fubara, along with Tonye Cole and Wike’s ally George Kelly, all announced their exit from the race leaving many wondering who truly holds power in Rivers.