The people of Opobo, the hometown of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, have urged him to take proactive steps to secure his re-election and complete his second term by 2027. This call was made by the Opobo Progressive Movement (OPM) in a statement released in Port Harcourt.
Ambassador Freedom Owujie, President of OPM, made this statement in response to recent remarks by the Ogoni and Oyigbo People’s Assembly (OOPA). During a recent conference in Tai Local Government Area, OOPA declared that the Ogoni people should produce the next governor of Rivers State in 2027.
Owujie criticized this position, accusing OOPA of attempting to marginalize Opobo’s political influence. He remarked, “This is a direct disregard for His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and an attempt to diminish the significance of Opobo people in Rivers State politics.”
He further emphasized that, although the Opobo community may be small in numbers, they are not to be underestimated, warning that any attempt to hinder an Opobo native from completing an eight-year tenure would be met with strong resistance.
Owujie suggested that the Ogoni people’s frustration stemmed from their inability to secure the governorship after opposing an Ijaw governor in 2019.
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He encouraged Governor Fubara to take decisive action to protect his position and confront the opposition. “We are calling on Governor Siminalayi Fubara to use every power at his disposal to counter these efforts and ensure his re-election,” Owujie added, stressing the importance of the governor’s leadership to the Opobo community and warning that further pressure would provoke a response.
In a related development, the Rivers Restoration Movement (RRM) has also urged political groups in Rivers State to avoid sidelining the Ijaw people in their plans for the governorship.
This stance was expressed in a joint statement by the movement’s Director-General, Johnson Georgewill, and Secretary, Mrs. Sarima Akpata. The OOPA had previously endorsed the Rivers South-East Senatorial District (upland) to field the next governor, reinforcing the debate around zoning.
