For many Rivers State residents and supporters of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, June 12 was supposed to mark a turning point, a symbolic moment of democratic restoration.

Instead, hopes of reinstating Fubara, his deputy Prof. Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly, suspended since March 18 under emergency rule, were dashed.

The anticipation had been building. Many believed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would seize the occasion of National Democracy Day to restore full civil governance in Rivers.

That hope was fueled by his earlier decision to declare a state of emergency in response to escalating political conflict between Governor Fubara’s loyalists and lawmakers aligned with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike.

Political analysts had predicted May 29 or June 12 as potential dates for Tinubu to end the emergency rule, restoring democratic order in the state. So, what changed?

What Went Wrong?

Insiders say the president had indeed put mechanisms in motion to recall Fubara to office.

According to sources, key meetings in London and Lagos hinted that Tinubu was ready to announce Fubara’s return, despite political consequences.

However, news of this plan allegedly leaked too early.

Jubilations by the governor’s supporters ahead of the official announcement reportedly angered Wike’s camp, which then mounted serious opposition.

The move was delayed, and conditions were allegedly imposed before reinstatement could proceed.

One source disclosed that Governor Fubara himself hinted at his imminent return during public engagements.

“The announcement of the governor’s return was to be made by Tinubu on June 12. The process of the handing over of power would have taken one or two weeks,” a notable activist revealed.

Still, the governor’s path to reinstatement remains fraught with political traps laid by rivals intent on pushing him out entirely.

Only days ago, Chief Tony Okocha, factional APC Chairman in Rivers, warned that Fubara’s problems were far from over, even if he joined the ruling party.

“If Fubara decides to join the APC, it has nothing to do with the state of emergency in Rivers State. His sins cannot be forgiven because he came to our party. It is not true,” Okocha said.

“He has not spoken to me. He will enter the party through the door, not the window. Not only him.”

Okocha added that the governor had failed to carry out the president’s instruction to restore peace at home:

“I can confirm that there is no reconciliation effort currently underway in Rivers. The suspended Governor Fubara has not made any move to reconcile with the lawmakers. Only genuine reconciliation can save him from impeachment, as the Supreme Court judgment stands.”

In a recent media appearance, Nyesom Wike accused Fubara of not being serious about reconciliation.

He claimed that after a meeting arranged at his Abuja residence involving two prominent Yoruba leaders, Fubara failed to follow up.

“He has the yam. He has the knife. If you want genuine peace, we will know. If you don’t want genuine peace, it is still your choice,” Wike stated.

Ironically, just a day after those remarks, photos of Fubara with Tinubu surfaced online, showing the two together during the Salah holiday at Tinubu’s Bourdillon residence.

Meanwhile, Vice Admiral Ibok-Etteh Ibas, the Sole Administrator of Rivers, has reportedly received a direct order to conduct local government elections before his term ends in September.

According to insiders, this is intended to lock down Wike’s political influence across the state and ensure control of the grassroots ahead of the 2027 elections.

The presidency’s nomination of members to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and local commissions just last Thursday is seen as part of this broader plan.

The implications? Fubara might be reinstated only after the elections, returning to a weakened and volatile political landscape.

Some believe this tactic is designed to render the governor powerless even if he’s brought back.

At the heart of Wike’s refusal to back down, sources say, is his lost shot at the PDP’s 2027 presidential ticket, a move allegedly derailed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, once his ally, now rival.

According to one insider:

“Wike’s scheme was to ensure that once the ticket gets into his kitty, he would step down for Tinubu to complete his second term in the spirit that the presidency still remains in the South for eight years.”

With ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi poised to rally opposition forces against Tinubu in Rivers ahead of 2027, the state may become a fierce political battlefield.

Public resentment over the ongoing emergency rule could work against the President, especially with Amaechi in the race.

Still, Tinubu clearly values Wike’s political capital. During the inauguration of the renovated International Conference Center (ICC) in Abuja last Tuesday, he openly encouraged Wike to formally join the APC:

“Wike is an asset that no party would love to lose.”

With the state in limbo, many political observers now question whether Governor Fubara has any real chance of returning to office with authority intact.

Civic groups are silent. Protests have cooled. Even elder statesmen seem resigned to the ongoing power tussle.

Yet, some continue to press for resolution. Notably, PDP elder Chief Bode George issued a heartfelt appeal to the President:

“I also appeal to him, in the spirit of my maternal grand uncle who founded the first political party in Nigeria in 1922, Herbert Macaulay, to please reinstate Fubara. Tinubu should listen to, and honour this appeal in memory of all those who died in the journey to our democracy.”

Renowned Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to launch an investigation into the unresolved and mysterious deaths of notable Nigerians such as Dele Giwa, Kudirat Abiola, and Bola Ige.

Soyinka stressed that doing so would help bring closure to long-standing national grief and unanswered questions.

Speaking with a group of selected journalists in Lagos on Saturday, Soyinka noted that some Nigerians, including those in the diaspora, may hold vital clues to the assassinations.

Soyinka’s appeal came during the commemoration of Nigeria’s Democracy Day, marked every June 12.

The 2025 celebration saw President Tinubu deliver an address before a joint session of the National Assembly, during which he also conferred national honours on some heroes of the democratic struggle.

While Soyinka commended the gesture, he pointed out that several key figures were excluded.

However, he said the honorees represent a broader community of unsung participants in the fight for democracy.

He added, “I will be dedicating my honours to the memory of Late Beko Ransom-Kuti, who I described as a defender of human rights, champion of good governance, and campaigner for democracy, who was detained and jailed several times by the Nigerian military.”

Emphasizing the gravity of June 12, Soyinka remarked that the day should not be trivialized, as it stands as a solemn reminder of the bloodshed and sacrifices endured during the military era.

“He warned that no one should make light of the weight and importance of the June 12 struggle, as many people died, and many others were greatly injured by the military junta, which killed, tortured, and imprisoned Nigerians at the time.”

This statement also comes in the wake of public confusion, as the Presidency denied awarding national honours to Aisha Yesufu and 35 others, despite rumours to the contrary.

Names of the awardees were officially announced by Tinubu during the June 13 National Assembly session.

Among the posthumous recipients were Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Professor Humphrey Nwosu, and Kudirat Abiola, who is widely regarded as a martyr of the June 12 struggle.

In a historic move, President Tinubu also granted a posthumous state pardon to environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni Nine, whose execution in 1995 under the Abacha regime sparked international outrage.

The President stated, “I also confer posthumous national honours on Ken Saro-Wiwa (CON), the leader of the Ogoni Nine and his fellow travellers.”

He continued, “I shall also be exercising my powers under the prerogative of mercy to grant these national heroes a full pardon, together with others whose names shall be announced later in conjunction with the National Council of State.”

Each of the other Ogoni Nine was awarded the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), while Ken Saro-Wiwa received the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).

This is the first time a Nigerian president has officially acknowledged the Ogoni Nine’s contributions to democracy and environmental justice.

The honoured activists included Saturday Dobee, Nordu Eawo, Daniel Gbooko, Paul Levera, Felix Nuate, Baribor Bera, Barinem Kiobel, and John Kpuine, all tried and executed under what human rights observers widely condemned as a politically motivated process.

The Labour Party in Enugu State has suffered yet another major setback as Engr. George Ugwu, the former spokesman of the 2023 gubernatorial campaign of Hon. Barr. Chijioke Jonathan Edeoga, officially defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) alongside a large number of his supporters.

Ugwu, popularly known as Ezeudo, made the move during the PDP Local Government monthly meeting held on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at the Enugu East Local government Secretariat.

The defection, which had been hinted at during the PDP ward meeting on May 7 in his hometown of Ugwogo Ward, was formally ratified in the presence of the PDP State Executive Committee led by its Chairman, Dr. Martin Chukwubuike.

The political shift has caused the collapse of the Labour Party’s structure in Ugwogo and Mbuluiyikwu Wards, where Ugwu previously commanded strong grassroots support.

His departure further deepens the internal crisis and weakening influence of the LP in Enugu East, following the earlier exit of key figures, including Hon. Edeoga himself.

Speaking during the meeting, Engr. Ugwu explained the rationale behind his decision, expressing disappointment in the current state of the Labour Party and its failure to uphold the ideals they once campaigned on.

“We toiled day and night, ward after ward, believing in a vision that was never realised,” Ugwu said.

“What we now see is a party without focus or leadership. Since my principal, Hon. Edeoga, returned to the PDP, it became evident that the LP had lost its essence.”

Ugwu commended the performance of Enugu State Governor Barr. Peter Ndubuisi Mba, whose developmental strides he described as “people-centered, progressive, and visionary.”

He cited major achievements of the administration such as:

• The construction of smart schools in rural areas
• The dualisation of the Abakpa–Opi–Nsukka road
• The establishment of Type 2 health centres
• Youth and women empowerment initiatives

“This is not about party colours; it is about the people. As a technocrat and someone passionate about service, I cannot sit by and watch good governance from afar. I am here to support Governor Mba’s transformative agenda” he said.

In his remarks, Engr. Pastor Beloved Dan Anike, Executive Chairman of Enugu East LGA, welcomed Ugwu and praised his political relevance and influence.

“Engineer George Ugwu was a major force during the last election. Having him and his base in the PDP today is a big boost. With his grassroots support and dedication, the 2027 elections will be a much easier path for us.”

Ugwu was joined by dozens of Labour Party supporters from his stronghold.

Former Labour Party (LP) chieftain and spokesperson for the party’s 2023 presidential campaign, Kenneth Okonkwo, has publicly accused Peter Obi of betrayal.

In a viral video circulating on social media, Okonkwo, who officially resigned from the Labour Party in February 2025, claimed that Obi abandoned him and ignored warnings about aligning with the Julius Abure-led faction of the LP.

“If there is anybody that betrayed the other, I can say it emphatically that Peter Obi betrayed me,” said Okonkwo, a former Nollywood actor.

According to him, Abure and his supporters misled Obi by claiming that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had recognised their leadership.

“The Julius Abure-led LP members lied to Obi that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had accepted them and Obi surreptitiously went back to them,” he said.

“But I told him: ‘Sir, you have made a public statement on integrity and even if INEC has accepted them, that is not a criterion for you to go back and start dealing with them because they have shown that they are not democratic. If you go back to them, they will destroy your political career and everything you have said about integrity will die’.”

He also warned Obi that returning to the Abure camp would be detrimental:

“I told Obi that these people had become agents in the hands of the government to destabilise him. What they did was absolutely illegal and unconstitutional. I told him that if he went back to them, I wouldn’t join him in doing so.”

Okonkwo revealed that he also informed members of Obi’s inner circle of his position:

“Thereafter, I called all the people that were in the inner circle and told them the same thing about what Obi was trying to do. I told them he wanted to go back with the Abure people and if he did, I wouldn’t go back with him because I do not swallow back my words.”

Just a few days later, he said, Obi returned to the Abure faction’s office and publicly endorsed them — a move that Okonkwo said stunned and embarrassed him.

“And after saying all those things, within like 72 hours, Obi went back to Abure’s office to publicly endorse them and while he was there talking to them, one of the leaders in that executive sent me the video to mock me that the person I was fighting for against them has come to their office to endorse them.”

He added: “It was when INEC dissociated itself from Abure that Obi came out to start acting neutral but I told him he could not be neutral and something had to be done.”

Explaining his decision to leave the Labour Party, Okonkwo said he lost confidence in Obi’s ability to build the kind of political platform required to challenge the status quo.

“I believed that Peter Obi will seize the momentum and build a solid party of integrity that will have the solid base that we need to overthrow these kakistocrats and kleptocrats. He just needed to give the right directives and everyone will fall in line.”

He said he was particularly alarmed by Obi’s public admission that building the Labour Party was not his priority.

“I received my first shock when he publicly declared that he didn’t promise Nigerians to build a strong Labour Party, but to solve Nigeria problems. I was like, does it mean HE Peter Obi is not aware that without a solid party base, we are heading to nowhere politically?”

Still, he said he kept defending Obi, hoping he would privately resolve the party’s issues, but that never happened.

Okonkwo also noted that although Obi had publicly called for an all-inclusive LP convention, he failed to act when the Abure-led executive ignored that directive.

“PO also publicly demanded that the Abure-led National Working Committee must organise an all-inclusive convention that will guarantee the participation of all members of Labour Party in the choice of their leaders.”

“This didn’t happen, and surprisingly, PO refused to disassociate himself from the shenanigans and criminal activities of the former NWC as their time has expired.”

The former LP spokesperson said party members are now confused and frustrated by Obi’s silence.

“Every member of Labour Party is confused today as to the future of Labour Party because of lack of leadership from PO over the party, and unfortunately, when they look up to me to tell them about PO’s standpoint, I sincerely have nothing to tell them because I don’t know myself.”

“I cannot continue to speak on behalf of a leader that I do not know his stand on issues of great importance. I simply don’t know how to manipulate facts.”

Okonkwo concluded by criticising Obi’s failure to support the Labour Unions that founded the party:

“I was shocked that Obi could not openly support the efforts of the Labour Unions who founded the Labour Party as a base to fight for the welfare of workers to the extent that some of them are openly saying that Obi is now the problem of the party.”

“They are fighting criminals who want to hijack their party when an ordinary statement from Obi would have brought the solution.”

The Presidency has refuted claims that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu conferred national honours on prominent human rights activist Aisha Yesufu and 35 others, describing the reports as “fake news.”

Yesufu, widely recognised for her pivotal involvement in the 2020 End SARS protests, was listed in a document circulating on social media that named 102 supposed recipients of national honours.

The document sparked widespread debate, particularly among supporters of President Tinubu’s administration.

Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, issued a statement via Facebook on Friday debunking the claim.

“The story on a viral list of national honours featuring the name of Aisha Yesufu and others credited to the Leadership newspaper is fake news. It should be ignored,” Ajayi stated.

He went on to provide clarification: “The Presidency has not issued fresh names for national honour different from the ones in President Tinubu’s address to the joint sitting of the National Assembly yesterday.”

The President had announced national awards on Thursday, June 13, during his address at a joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja to mark the 2025 Democracy Day celebration. Only 66 recipients were officially named.

Among those honoured posthumously were Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, a former Chief of Staff; Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, the ex-NEC Chairman who supervised the 1993 elections; and Kudirat Abiola, wife of late MKO Abiola and a heroine of the June 12 democracy movement.

As Nigeria marked the anniversary of the June 12, 1993 election, widely regarded as the freest in the nation’s history, the pan-Yoruba sociopolitical group Afenifere has renewed calls for constitutional restructuring, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigeria’s political elite to make it a top priority ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a strongly worded statement, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, Afenifere’s leader, lamented the state of Nigeria’s democracy, describing it as a “pseudo democracy,” and declared that only a comprehensive reconfiguration of the country’s political structure could address the long-standing consequences of the June 12 annulment.

“Another anniversary confirming that June 12, 1993 evidently happened to Nigeria is here again.”

“Chief M.K.O. Abiola and his pan-Nigerian mandate were killed by the self-serving political wing of the military and their collaborators. Very many innocent lives were lost,”
Afenifere said in its commemorative statement.

The group argued that Nigeria has remained a “mere geographical expression” since the 1914 amalgamation and warned that without meaningful restructuring into a true federation, progress would remain elusive.

It also took aim at the political system, particularly the winner-takes-all approach and the expensive governance model, blaming these for widespread injustice, ethnic tension, and national disunity.

“There must be a fundamental shift away from the ‘winner-takes-all, buy-and-sell modality of capturing political power.”

“A new governance framework to be embodied in a new constitutional order is the silver bullet that will likely restore order to what we all know as a mere geographical territory,”
the statement added.

Afenifere expressed deep concern over what it termed the “unbridled latitude” of the Nigerian presidency under the 1999 Constitution, arguing that the office has become both excessively powerful and financially unsustainable.

“It is no longer sustainable to maintain the large paraphernalia of office and bureaucracy at the expense of the masses.”

“A new constitution has become the irreducible minimum to guarantee the shift of emphasis towards rapid infrastructural development to the benefit of ordinary citizens,”
the group declared.

Despite the daunting nature of overhauling the current political structure, Afenifere insisted that time still permits the drafting and adoption of a new constitution before the 2027 elections, calling it the most viable path toward restoring Nigeria’s democratic promise.