Tonye Cole, a senior member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has stated that Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara will resume office with constrained authority when his suspension concludes on Thursday.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Cole emphasized that Fubara may face challenges in making independent decisions as governor.
Cole, who contested the 2023 governorship election in Rivers State, noted that the state, a strategic region in Nigeria, now has a governor with limited operational power.
“We cannot have a situation where an elected governor of a critical state like Rivers has no real authority. This scenario is worrying not only for the people of Rivers but for Nigeria as a whole,” Cole said.
He added, “The governor is likely to face significant difficulties. In Nigeria, a departing governor often expects a successor to continue their agenda. When this cooperation fails, it usually results in conflicts between godfathers and godsons, which has historically harmed democratic governance. Unfortunately, the people tend to suffer the most in such cases. As of tomorrow, the governor will not have the power to make critical decisions.”
Cole also advised Fubara to engage with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike to establish a working understanding that would allow him to exercise some decision-making powers.
“If I were in his position, I would appeal to the minister for leeway, agreeing on which decisions the governor can take independently and which require collaboration. The specifics of any peace agreement are unknown, so the limits of his authority remain unclear,” Cole concluded.
