Fubara Declares Support for Tinubu, Chinda, Announces End to Rivers Political Crisis

Fubara Declares Support for Tinubu, Chinda, Announces End to Rivers Political Crisis

  • Politics
  • July 23, 2026
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Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has publicly declared his support for President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid and the governorship ambition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Rivers State, Kingsley Chinda, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The governor also announced that he had joined the Rainbow Coalition, a political alliance championed by his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, describing the move as part of efforts to promote unity, peace and development in the state.

Fubara made the declaration on Wednesday during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Riven Medical Industries Project in Port Harcourt, where he said the political disagreements that had divided Rivers State had been resolved.

"We have made peace in the state, and I'm supporting our Rainbow Coalition. President Bola Tinubu is our President, and he is the one we are supporting," the governor said.

He further declared his backing for APC governorship candidate Kingsley Chinda, urging his supporters across the state to align with the coalition.

"OK Chinda is the governorship candidate that I am supporting, and anybody who believes in me will support him and every other candidate under the Rainbow Coalition. I've gone back to our family. The time of war is over. It is time for peace, and this peace is taking us to another level," Fubara stated.

The governor stressed that he would not support any political movement capable of creating fresh divisions in the state, insisting that his priority was to sustain the peace achieved after months of political tension.
The political crisis between Fubara and Wike began in late 2023 following a power struggle that split the Rivers State House of Assembly, triggered impeachment threats against the governor and plunged the state into prolonged political uncertainty.

The situation escalated in 2025 when President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly. Although the suspension was later lifted, political differences between the rival camps persisted.
Ahead of the APC governorship primaries, Fubara obtained the party's nomination form but did not participate in the primary after failing to secure approval from the party's national leadership. Kingsley Chinda eventually emerged as the APC governorship candidate, receiving the backing of Wike and the Rainbow Coalition.

Fubara Flags Off Riven Medical Industries Project. Speaking at the event, Governor Fubara described the Riven Medical Industries Project as a major investment that would boost industrialisation, create jobs and strengthen healthcare delivery in Rivers State.

He, however, cautioned against a repeat of previous investment experiences where companies failed to honour contractual obligations, resulting in legal disputes.

The governor said his administration approved the project after being satisfied that the investors possessed the technical and financial capacity to successfully revive the facility.

He urged the developers to deliver the first phase of the project within three months and appealed to host communities and the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area to provide a peaceful environment for its implementation.

Fubara assured the investors of his administration's continued support to ensure the successful completion of the project.

Project to Boost Local Drug Manufacturing. The Riven Medical Industries Project is a public-private partnership between the Rivers State Government and Enbay Pharmaceutical Industries Limited.

The project is being executed through Riven Medical Industries Limited, a special purpose vehicle established by Enbay to redevelop the former Integrated Medical Industries into a modern pharmaceutical manufacturing complex.

When completed, the facility is expected to produce pharmaceutical formulations, gelatine capsules, intravenous infusions and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), expanding Nigeria's local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity and reducing dependence on imported medicines.

The project is also expected to generate direct and indirect employment opportunities, facilitate technology transfer, attract private investment and strengthen Nigeria's pharmaceutical and healthcare value chains.

In a statement, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onwuka Nzeshi, described the groundbreaking ceremony as the commencement of a strategic project designed to drive industrial growth, economic diversification, improved healthcare outcomes and sustainable public-private partnerships in Rivers State and across Nigeria.