Rivers enemies painting state like devil with invisible horns – Fubara

Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that “enemies of Rivers” weaponised the state’s recent political crisis to distort public perception and undermine progress, insisting that normalcy has fully returned after six months of “governance disruption.” Speaking on Sunday night at the grand finale of the Python Golf Club’s 6th Edition Chief Ikenna Okafor […]

Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that “enemies of Rivers” weaponised the state’s recent political crisis to distort public perception and undermine progress, insisting that normalcy has fully returned after six months of “governance disruption.”
Speaking on Sunday night at the grand finale of the Python Golf Club’s 6th Edition Chief Ikenna Okafor 2025 Pro-Amateur Golf Championship in Port Harcourt, Governor Fubara said orchestrated misinformation campaigns were deliberately designed to present Rivers State as unsafe, despite the reality on ground.
Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had declared a state of emergency in Rivers and suspended Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly for six months following a political crisis in the state.
He later ended the state of emergency in Rivers and asked the suspended officials to resume their duties on September 18, 2025. During their suspension, the president had appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd) as sole administrator of the state.
Fubara’s spokesman, Nelson Chukwudi, in a statement on Monday, quoted the governor as saying certain political actors exploited the earlier tension for selfish advantage by painting the state “like the devil with invisible horns.”
He said, “I can tell you the truth: more than half of the things you read in the media are not true. Worse things happen in other states, but because they manage their media, people don’t read about them. In our case, some enemies of Rivers weaponised the challenges to run us down.”
He noted that although the political tension had disrupted governance for about six months, peace has since been restored, enabling security agencies to perform optimally.
The governor said the impressive turnout of players and guests from across eight African countries at the championship was clear proof that the state is stable, safe and open for business.
“Your presence signifies only one thing: that Rivers State is safe, contrary to what we hear, what we read, and how our state is being presented in the media,” he told participants.
“Our mission is simple, to change our story, protect our state, and remind everyone that Rivers State is ours, and it is safe,” he said.