PORT HARCOURT — In a move that has sent shockwaves through the political landscape of Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara has officially dissolved the State Executive Council, effectively sacking all Commissioners and Special Advisers with immediate effect.
The announcement, which came late Thursday, February 12, 2026, marks a seismic shift in the state’s governance. It signals a definitive attempt by the Governor to hit the “reset button” on a tenure that has been marred by a bitter, months-long feud with his predecessor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The Clean Sweep
In a statement released by the newly appointed Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi, Governor Fubara directed all outgoing cabinet members to hand over their official duties, files, and government property to Permanent Secretaries or the most senior administrative officers in their respective ministries.
While the Governor expressed his “deepest appreciation” to the departing team for their service, the clinical nature of the dissolution suggests a deeper administrative purge. To ensure the wheels of government keep turning, the Governor had earlier sworn in five new Permanent Secretaries on Wednesday, February 11. Insiders describe this as a strategic “pre-emptive strike” to stabilize the civil service before clearing the political cabinet.
The newly appointed Permanent Secretaries include:
- Dr. Wachukwu, Vincent Worgu
- Eke, Cordelia Uwuma
- Ogboma, Ifeanyi Anthony
- Dr. Jim-Jaja, Mina Gogo
- Uzor, Henry
The ‘Tinubu Factor’
This dramatic house-cleaning comes just days after a high-stakes, closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. President Bola Tinubu, acting as a mediator for the third time in this crisis, hosted both Fubara and Wike in a marathon session aimed at ending the political volatility that has split the state legislature and divided government loyalties.
While the specific terms of the “peace pact” remain shielded from the public, the dissolution is widely interpreted as a major concession. Political analysts suggest Fubara is clearing the deck to make room for a “unity cabinet” that could accommodate interests from both factions—or, alternatively, to finally surround himself with a team whose loyalty is beyond question.
A State in Transition
For the people of Rivers State, the mood is a mix of relief and cautious expectation. The political gridlock had previously stalled major legislative approvals and created palpable tension in the state capital.
“This is about more than just changing faces,” says Port Harcourt-based political analyst, Dr. Sam Ebi. “This is Fubara asserting his executive authority while trying to navigate a very narrow path toward peace. The names he sends to the House of Assembly in the coming days will tell us if this is a genuine truce or just the beginning of a new chapter in the struggle for control”.
As the state awaits the list of new nominees, all eyes return to the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly. The screening process will be the ultimate litmus test of whether the President’s intervention has truly extinguished the fire or merely dampened the smoke.
For now, the hallways of the State Secretariat remain quiet as the new Permanent Secretaries take the reins, awaiting the next move in a political chess game that has kept Nigeria’s oil-rich heartbeat on edge for over a year.
