Governor Siminalayi Fubara is expected back in office this week, but there are claims he will return without the authority to run Rivers State – www.naijnaira.com reports.
Tonye Cole, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and former governorship candidate, told Channels Television that Fubara will have “zero powers” when his suspension ends.
Cole explained that the state is heading into uncharted political waters, with an elected leader who may not control his own government.
“We cannot be in a situation where you have an elected governor with zero powers, it doesn’t portend well at all,” Cole stressed during the interview.
He recalled how Nigerian politics often breeds tension when outgoing governors try to impose control on their successors instead of allowing them freedom to govern.
According to him, such power struggles frequently result in “godfather-godson fights,” a scenario that he believes has never favored democracy in the country.
Cole warned that if Fubara remains unable to make independent decisions, Rivers people may ultimately bear the brunt of the political impasse.
He urged Fubara to reach an understanding with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to manage governance despite their power-sharing arrangement.
“What I would do if I were him is to sit with the honourable minister and appeal for some leeway, so certain decisions can still be taken as governor,” Cole advised.
He also admitted that the peace agreement between Fubara and Wike remains largely unclear, making it difficult to know the exact limits of Fubara’s current powers.
Article updated 3 weeks ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
