Suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara says he feels no urgency to reclaim his post, admitting that “my spirit left Government House long ago.”
Speaking on Sunday at a Night of Tributes in Port Harcourt for the late elder statesman Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, Fubara told the gathering of Rivers elders and clerics that he attended only to honour a man who had sacrificed for him.
It was his first public appearance since President Bola Tinubu suspended him and declared a state of emergency in Rivers on 18 March 2025.
Fubara cautioned that the memorial should not be recast as a political rally aimed at his predecessor Nyesom Wike or at the President.
“If I had my way, I wouldn’t return,” he said. “But many people, including Pa Clark, paid a price for me.
I owe them my presence and my steadiness.”
Addressing fiery remarks by earlier speakers, the governor urged restraint: “Not every battle is worth fighting.
When the mood of an event conflicts with my convictions, I keep silent.”
He insisted the occasion remain a tribute to Clark’s legacy of peace, justice, and selfless service.
Fubara added that he feels calmer outside office and warned supporters against rhetoric that could escalate tensions.
“Ask yourselves whether your approach truly promotes reconciliation,” he said, pledging to work within the law to restore stability in Rivers State.