The President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Theophilus Alaye, has declared that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is constitutionally entitled to seek a second term in office in 2027.
Alaye made the statement while responding to recent reports suggesting that the embattled governor may be pressured into signing a one-term agreement as part of the conditions to resolve the political crisis in Rivers State. He stressed that no individual, including former Governor Nyesom Wike, has the authority to compel Fubara to relinquish his constitutional right.
“The Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, is a citizen of Nigeria and by the virtue of the Nigerian Constitution, we believe that the governor has the right to seek re-election,” Alaye said.
He maintained that only the people of Rivers State have the right to determine who leads them, adding that performance in office should be the key factor in any re-election bid.
“When we get to 2027, we shall know if that is part of the agreement. And if he has delivered the dividends of democracy for Rivers people, it is left for Rivers people to ask him to contest or not,” he stated.
The IYC President rejected any arrangement that attempts to curtail Fubara’s political aspirations, describing it as unconstitutional and a violation of his fundamental rights.
“As the 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, and it is against the Nigerian Constitution,” he said.
Alaye also reaffirmed the Ijaw Youth Council’s commitment to resisting all forms of political oppression, stating that the group has always championed the cause of justice and fair treatment for the marginalised.
“Oppression is what we would never support. We have always been a group of marginalised persons and agitation has always been part of our lifestyle,” he said.
He added, “So, standing behind the Rivers State governor to seek re-election come 2027 is not going to be a new thing to us because for us to sit down and allow some group of persons to infringe on his constitutional rights is what we, as a people, will not accept.”
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been tense since March 2025 when President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency following a deepening political crisis. The move led to the suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy, and members of the state assembly.
However, by June 2025, efforts to restore peace began to yield results as Wike, Fubara and other key political stakeholders agreed to work towards reconciliation and stability in the state after a meeting with the president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
