Niger Delta activist, Ann-Kio Briggs, says Rivers people have a right to know the deal struck between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and President Bola Tinubu before the end of the six-month emergency rule in the state.
She made the remarks on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics. Briggs warned that Fubara’s silence could raise doubts about his credibility. According to her, people from the riverine areas, where the governor hails from, will not accept being kept in the dark.
“I think it’s not acceptable when politicians make these agreements over our heads; it’s like shaving the head of someone behind their back,” she said.
The activist stressed that citizens have paid the biggest price in the crisis and deserve to know what was put on the table. “We don’t know what the President has insisted on, we don’t know what was agreed upon, and where that leads the people of Rivers State. So, we need to know what was agreed on,” she added.
Briggs also demanded that retired Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, who served as sole administrator during the emergency, should give account of how state funds were spent. She maintained that the resources belonged to the people and must not be swept under the carpet.
Governor Fubara returned to office last week, after Tinubu lifted the emergency on September 17, 2025. His arrival at the Government House in Port Harcourt sparked jubilation among supporters. He was welcomed by his wife, security chiefs, and key stakeholders before settling back into office.
Bellnews reports that Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly were suspended on March 18 when the President declared a state of emergency, citing political unrest. Admiral Ibas was sworn in at the time to run the state and only handed back power last Wednesday.
The crisis began months after Fubara took office in May 2023. He fell out with his predecessor, now FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, over control of the state. The rift spread into the assembly, dividing lawmakers.
In June, Tinubu summoned Fubara, Wike, assembly leader Martins Amaewhule and others to Abuja. The meeting was described as a peace deal, but the exact terms remain secret. Wike later said he would “allow people to speculate” about what was agreed, insisting that “what is important is that peace has returned.”