Image of Governor Siminalayi Fubara alighting the plane in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara on Friday returned to Port Harcourt, the state capital, following the end of the six-month emergency rule declared in the state by President Bola Tinubu.

Fubara’s flight touched down at the Port Harcourt International Airport around 11:50 a.m., where he was received by a large crowd of supporters who had converged earlier at the VIP wing of the airport to welcome him.

The governor’s return came more than 24 hours after President Tinubu lifted the emergency rule and restored democratic governance in the state. Tinubu had declared the emergency on March 18, citing political tensions and a breakdown in governance.

During the period, Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, were out of office while retired Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas served as sole administrator. Ibas, who formally handed over power on Wednesday night, urged political actors in Rivers to embrace mutual respect and dialogue in order to prevent a recurrence of the crisis.

Although the Rivers State House of Assembly resumed sitting on Thursday, Fubara did not immediately return to the Government House, despite the presence of hundreds of supporters who had gathered to receive him.

Fubara’s reappearance signals the resumption of democratic governance in the state, though political watchers say tensions remain between rival factions that triggered the March intervention.