He was greeted by a crowd of supporters who had earlier converged at the VIP wing of the Port Harcourt International Airport, awaiting his arrival

The governor arrived at the Port Harcourt International Airport at about 11:50 a.m. on Friday, more than 24 hours after President Bola Tinubu ended the six-month emergency rule in the state.
He was greeted by a crowd of supporters who had earlier converged at the VIP wing of the Port Harcourt International Airport, awaiting his arrival. While the House of Assembly resumed sitting on Thursday, Fubara did not show up at the Government House, despite the hundreds of supporters who had gathered to welcome him.

A large group of local people gathered at the Government House on Thursday, September 18, 2025, waiting for Governor Sim Fubara to arrive. Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, had been away from running the state for six months. This happened after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers on March 18 because of a political problem.

Ibas, who took over the leadership the night before, asked political leaders in the state to work together and talk respectfully to each other in a live broadcast.

Fubara became governor in May 2023, but not long after, he had disagreements with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). These disagreements often happen between current and former governors in Nigeria.

The political conflict also affected the House of Assembly, causing divisions among the lawmakers. The situation escalated when Tinubu announced the state of emergency on March 18, and he appointed a retired naval chief, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, as the sole administrator of the oil-rich Niger Delta state.

But in June, the President met with Fubara, Wike, Amaewhule, and other members of the assembly, signaling a reconciliation among the key actors.

Council Elections

Despite criticisms, Ibas inaugurated the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), led by Michael Odey, in July, leading to the conduct of the local government elections across 23 councils on August 30. The All Progressives Congress (APC) won in 20 councils, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in three local government areas.

Tinubu, while declaring an end to the emergency rule on Wednesday evening, argued that the crisis would have created anarchy if emergency rule had not been proclaimed on March 18, 2025.