By: Austin Tam-George
Since 2023, former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and his allies have launched an unrelenting assault on the administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara in Rivers State.
These attacks have included disinformation campaigns in the media, three failed impeachment attempts by the Rivers State House of Assembly, controversial court rulings, a state of emergency, as well as open and well-documented threats of violence against the government and people of Rivers State.
Since all efforts to terminate the Fubara administration have failed, Wike’s latest gambit has been to insist that
Governor Fubara must abide by a so-called secret agreement not to seek a second term in office as Governor of Rivers State.
Below are six reasons why Nyesom Wike cannot stop Governor Fubara from seeking a second term in office as Governor of Rivers State.
1. No private agreement can override the Constitution:
Nigeria’s Constitution gives every qualified governor the right to seek re-election. A private political understanding, especially an unwritten or “secret” one, cannot legally or morally cancel a constitutional right. If such a deal existed, it would itself be undemocratic because elected office is not a personal arrangement between politicians.
2. The mandate belongs to Rivers voters, not political sponsors:
Fubara was elected by the people of Rivers State, not appointed as a placeholder. Once elected, his political future should be determined by voters at the ballot box, not by backstage arrangements with a predecessor.
3. Expecting one-term loyalty reinforces godfatherism:
On many occasions, Wike has said, without any sense of irony, that he would decide who the next governor of Rivers State would be. Such a declaration is unconstitutional, undemocratic, and an attempt to entrench political godfatherism in Rivers State.
The idea that a sitting governor must step aside because of an informal pact suggests that the office is being controlled externally rather than through democratic institutions. This is unacceptable to the people of Rivers State.
4. Political realities can legitimately change:
Even if discussions about serving one term occurred during political negotiations, circumstances can change. Public support, governance performance, changes in party dynamics, and security considerations can all influence political priorities.
Today, there is widespread support for the Fubara administration to continue its efforts to develop the state for the benefit of all its people.
5. Wanting a second term is standard practice in Nigerian politics:
Across Nigeria, governors routinely seek constitutionally permitted second terms. Therefore, Governor Fubara’s second-term bid cannot and should not be treated as an exception.
Moreover, in Rivers State, the people have embraced the Fubara administration’s doctrine of placing citizens’ needs at the center of public policy and governmental action.
Wike’s attempt to frustrate and undermine the Fubara administration is seen by many as selfish, politically motivated, and potentially seditious.
6. Performance and public acceptance should decide re-election:
In a democracy, the proper response to a governor seeking another term is electoral competition, not political hostility from a disgruntled predecessor.
Available performance indicators in infrastructure, healthcare delivery, civil service reforms, housing, education, and social investment suggest that the Fubara administration has built a record it may seek to consolidate in a second term.
If the people of Rivers State disapprove of Fubara’s leadership, they can reject him at the polls.
The people of Rivers State must reject any illegal or non-existent agreements that violate their sovereign right to freely choose their leaders.
Dr. Austin Tam-George is a former Senior Executive Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
He served as Commissioner for Information and Communications in Rivers State from 2015 to 2017.
