Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A prominent Rivers State leader and former spokesperson of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), High Chief Anabs Sara‑Igbe, has declared that Governor Siminalayi Fubara would defeat any candidate backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, by a landslide in a free and fair election. Speaking during an interview on Symfoni TV on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, Sara‑Igbe asserted that Fubara’s support is “organic” and that no candidate Wike might field could secure even 10 percent of the governor’s votes. However, he also voiced concern about Fubara’s reluctance to take a firm political stand, urging the governor to stop the “queue behind me” approach and clearly state his intentions.
Sara‑Igbe, a well‑known political commentator and traditional chief, addressed the deepening rivalry between Wike and his former political protégé, Governor Fubara. The two have been locked in a bitter power struggle since Fubara assumed office in 2023, with Wike accusing the governor of reneging on agreements and Fubara’s camp accusing the minister of attempting to control the state’s political machinery from Abuja. The conflict has led to a factionalised Rivers State House of Assembly, multiple impeachment threats against Fubara, and a widening gulf between the state government and the FCT minister’s loyalists.
“Today, if there's election, a free and fair election, I don't think anybody Wike is bringing can get 10% of what Sim (Siminalayi Fubara) will get because it's organic,” Sara‑Igbe said. He described the governor’s popularity as genuine and rooted in the people’s natural identification with his leadership and performance. According to the chief, Wike’s influence in Rivers State has waned significantly, and any candidate the minister might attempt to impose would face overwhelming rejection at the polls.
However, Sara‑Igbe did not shy away from offering a critique of Fubara’s political style. “But the problem we have with Sim is that he should stand firm and say, ‘This is what I want.’ That is the problem we have with him. In terms of performance, we're happy with it. But this idea of ‘I want to stand so that they can queue behind you’ is the problem we have,” he said. The chief urged the governor to stop waiting for others to voluntarily line up behind him and to instead adopt a more assertive posture, clarifying his political direction and confronting his detractors head‑on.
Sara‑Igbe’s remarks come amid escalating political tensions in Rivers State. Governor Fubara, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December 2025, has been seeking re‑election on the APC platform. His move was widely interpreted as an effort to secure federal backing against Wike, who remains a powerful figure within the PDP and the FCT administration. Despite the defection, Wike has continued to wield considerable influence over the Rivers APC structure, with his loyalists controlling key party positions. The minister has repeatedly insisted that Fubara’s re‑election is not guaranteed and that he has the political capacity to determine the state’s next governor.
Sara‑Igbe dismissed such claims, arguing that Wike’s political machinery in Rivers State has been overestimated. “No one Nyesom Wike brings can get 10% of his vote,” he reiterated. The chief’s assessment aligns with other independent political observers who note that Fubara has maintained a strong grassroots following, particularly in rural local government areas where his administration’s infrastructure and social investment programmes have been visible. The governor has also benefited from the sympathy of Rivers people who view Wike’s sustained attacks as an attempt to undermine the democratic will of the state.
Nonetheless, Sara‑Igbe’s warning about Fubara’s reluctance to assert himself reflects a broader concern among the governor’s supporters. Since the crisis with Wike erupted, Fubara has often taken a conciliatory stance, avoiding direct confrontation and deferring to peace meetings brokered by President Bola Tinubu. While his supporters praise this as a strategy of maturity and restraint, critics argue that it has allowed Wike to dictate the pace of political combat and emboldened anti‑Fubara forces within the state. The chief’s call for the governor to “stand firm and say, ‘This is what I want’” is therefore a plea for Fubara to define his political future clearly and rally his base around a definitive agenda.
Sara‑Igbe also used the platform to criticise what he called the “queue behind me” style of politics, a phrase that appears to reference Wike’s well‑known demand for absolute loyalty from his political allies. The chief argued that such an approach stifles independent thinking and discourages the emergence of grassroots leaders. “He needs to stop ‘queue behind me’ kind of politics,” he said, urging the FCT minister to allow Rivers people to choose their leaders without external imposition. The statement underscores the growing fatigue among Rivers stakeholders with the protracted Wike‑Fubara feud, which has paralysed the state House of Assembly, delayed the passage of the budget, and distracted from governance.
The Rivers State governorship election is scheduled for February 6, 2027, as part of the general election cycle. Governor Fubara has not officially declared his intention to seek re‑election, but his political activities and the purchase of nomination forms by his supporters strongly suggest he will run. Meanwhile, Wike’s camp has reportedly been courting several aspirants, including former Works Commissioner Alabo George and House of Representatives member Kingsley Chinda, to challenge Fubara at the APC primaries. The party’s primary is expected to be fiercely contested, with the outcome likely determining who controls the political future of the oil‑rich state.
For now, High Chief Anabs Sara‑Igbe has added his voice to the growing chorus of Rivers leaders demanding clarity and courage from Governor Fubara. While praising the governor’s performance and organic support, his critique of Fubara’s reluctance to assert himself serves as a wake‑up call. Whether the governor heeds that advice could determine not only his own political fate but also the trajectory of Rivers State politics for years to come. As Sara‑Igbe put it, the people are happy with his work, but they need a leader who is willing to stand up and lead, not one who waits for others to queue behind him.
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