Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has downplayed concerns about his suspension and the possibility of returning to office, stating that his “spirit has already left there.”

Fubara made the remarks on Sunday during a service of songs held in Port Harcourt in honour of the late elder statesman, Edwin Clark. The event was organised by the Rivers Elders Forum.

“Do you even know if I want to go back there? My spirit has already left,” the embattled governor told the gathering, responding to calls from speakers who referred to him as “Governor” and condemned his suspension.

Fubara distanced himself from those comments, describing them as personal opinions and cautioning that such remarks were not helpful to peace-building efforts.

“Not everything is by ‘oshogbe’,” he said, suggesting a preference for diplomacy over confrontation. He also warned that some actions by his supporters, though well-intentioned, had aggravated the situation.

He urged attendees to focus on the legacy of Edwin Clark, who dedicated his life to the Niger Delta cause, rather than politicising the occasion.

The crisis in Rivers State deepened after a prolonged feud between Fubara and his predecessor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. President Bola Tinubu intervened in December 2023 to broker peace, but tensions persisted.

On 18 March, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state, suspending Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all state lawmakers. He subsequently appointed retired naval officer Ibok-Ete Ibas as sole administrator, effectively placing Rivers under federal control.

In response, eleven PDP governors challenged the move at the Supreme Court. However, the National Assembly urged the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that it lacked merit and fell outside the court’s jurisdiction. It also requested that the court impose a N1 billion fine on the governors for filing a “frivolous” and “speculative” case.