The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) orldwide has firmly opposed any political agreement that would limit suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to a single term in office as a condition for his reinstatement.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, IYC President, Theophilus Alaye, stressed that Governor Fubara has a constitutional right to seek a second term and should not be coerced into forfeiting that right under any political arrangement.
“The Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, is a citizen of Nigeria and, by the virtue of the Nigerian Constitution, we believe he has the right to seek re-election,” Alaye stated.
The comment comes amid speculation that a power-sharing deal brokered by President Bola Tinubu, aimed at restoring calm to the crisis-ridden state, might include a clause barring Fubara from contesting in 2027.
President Tinubu had imposed a political state of emergency in Rivers State in March 2025 following escalating tensions between Fubara and his predecessor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The president suspended Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly to stabilize the situation. However, in late June, Tinubu hosted both political rivals, with reports suggesting that reconciliation terms had been reached.
Reacting to the reported terms, Alaye cautioned against any agreement that undermines constitutional rights.
“When we get to 2027, we shall know if that is part of the agreement. And if he has delivered the dividends of democracy, it is left for the people of Rivers State to decide whether he should return,” he said.
The Ijaw youth leader affirmed the group’s readiness to support Fubara’s re-election bid if he chooses to run again, warning that any attempt to restrict him would be seen as political oppression.
“As President of the Council, if a single-term is part of the agreement he has signed or they gave to him that he should not seek re-election in 2027, some of us are not going to be part of that because that is an infringement on his fundamental human rights,” Alaye insisted.
He further emphasized the IYC’s history of resisting marginalization and oppression, saying, “We have always been a group of marginalised persons and agitation has always been part of our lifestyle.”
Alaye concluded by saying the Ijaw Youth Council would not stand by while political actors infringe on the democratic rights of any elected leader from their region.
