PORT – HARCOURT – Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, on Thursday dramatically broke through police barricades, tear gas and water cannon deployment during a tense political gathering in Port Harcourt.
The fresh development has further heightened the lingering political crisis in the state, as dramatic confrontation came barely 24 hours after the governor formally announced his withdrawal from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries, citing the need for peace, stability and unity in Rivers State.
Eyewitnesses said heavily armed policemen had mounted roadblocks around the venue of the gathering in an apparent bid to disperse supporters and restrict movement.
Tension escalated when security operatives reportedly fired tear gas canisters and deployed water cannons against the surging crowd of Fubara’s loyalists.
In defiance of the security crackdown, Governor Fubara was seen advancing through the barricades alongside his supporters, refusing to retreat despite the choking tear gas and chaotic atmosphere.
Supporters of the governor responded with solidarity chants and resistance songs as security personnel struggled to contain the swelling crowd, creating scenes that underscored the deepening political hostility in the oil-rich state.
Thursday’s incident is widely believed to be connected to the prolonged political battle between Governor Fubara and loyalists of the immediate past governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The crisis, which erupted shortly after Fubara assumed office in 2023, has triggered repeated political confrontations, including failed impeachment attempts against the governor, sharp divisions within the Rivers State House of Assembly, and fierce struggles over the control of party and state political structures.
The latest development also followed Fubara’s emotional announcement on Wednesday night withdrawing from the APC governorship primaries.
In a personally signed statement titled, “My Decision to Withdraw from the Rivers State Gubernatorial Primaries,” the governor said his decision was taken after “deep reflection and extensive consultations” with family, friends and political associates.
Fubara declared that leadership demanded sacrifice, insisting that the peace and unity of Rivers State must come before personal ambition.
“There comes a time when personal ambition must yield to the greater good of the people. Rivers State is bigger than any individual,” the governor stated.
He acknowledged the disappointment of his supporters, noting that enormous sacrifices had been made throughout the political struggle, but maintained that his silence in recent months had been “deliberate and strategic” in the overall interest of the state.
In what observers interpreted as a veiled reference to mounting political pressure, the governor remarked that, “not everything a hunter sees in the forest is spoken of in the marketplace,” adding that some truths are better borne in silence for the sake of peace.
Fubara, however, denied withdrawing out of fear or weakness, insisting that his decision was purely an act of sacrifice aimed at allowing Rivers State to move forward peacefully.
He also reaffirmed loyalty to the APC and pledged support for whoever eventually emerges as the party’s governorship candidate.
Political observers say the governor’s withdrawal from the primaries and Thursday’s confrontation with security operatives signal a dangerous escalation in Rivers politics ahead of crucial political realignments in the state.
As of press time, the Rivers State Police Command had not issued any official statement regarding the deployment of tear gas and water cannons at the gathering.
Meanwhile, supporters of the governor condemned the police action, describing it as intimidation and an attempt to suppress democratic expression.
The incident has continued to generate widespread reactions across Rivers State, with many residents expressing fears over the worsening political tension and its implications for governance, peace and security in the state.
