Theophilus Alaye, President of the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, has strongly opposed any arrangement requiring suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to serve only one term as a condition for his reinstatement.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, Alaye insisted that Fubara has a constitutional right to seek a second term and should not be coerced into relinquishing that right by any political figure, including his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
“Governor Fubara is a Nigerian citizen, and under the Constitution, he is entitled to contest for a second term if he so chooses,” Alaye stated.
He dismissed reports of a supposed one-term agreement as speculative and affirmed that the Ijaw Youth Council would support Fubara’s re-election bid if he decides to run in 2027.
“When the time comes in 2027, we’ll see what truly transpired. If the governor has served the people well, it will be up to them to decide whether he should return,” he said.
Alaye emphasized that any such condition would be a violation of Fubara’s fundamental rights and contravene the Constitution. He stressed that the Ijaw people, who have historically faced marginalization, would not tolerate any form of political oppression.
“If there’s any agreement limiting him to one term, some of us will not support it. That would be a direct infringement on his rights, and we stand firmly against such suppression,” he declared.
He further affirmed that defending Fubara’s right to contest again aligns with the Ijaw Youth Council’s long-standing commitment to justice and resistance against political marginalization.
President Bola Tinubu had declared a state of emergency in Rivers State in March 2025, suspending Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly due to ongoing political unrest. However, in late June, the president facilitated a reconciliation meeting with the key actors, including Wike and Fubara, during which they reportedly agreed to work together moving forward.
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