Fubara: The Emergence Of A Political Dark Horse

Before now, the name, Siminialayi Fubara was not ringing a bell. It was never a household name, politically speaking. It was neither ringing a familiar note across the length and breadth of Rivers State, the Treasure Base of Nigeria. Nor was it so familiar a name beyond the shores of his remote village, Opobo Town, let alone, reverberating across the horizon and the inner recesses of the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria as it does today.
At some point in time in his illustrious life, though, this son of a former soldier had had  a brief stint and some forays in the teaching profession in Alesa – Eleme in Eleme Local Government Area, where he was a classroom teacher.
Then again, in Port Harcourt, where he was transferred to by the Rivers State Post Primary Schools Board to the Ministry of Finance as a senior accountant. Again and again, this dashing, ebullient and reserved young man, was gradually moving to familiar turfs in the Garden City, to actually give a  true meaning to his Opobo – Ibani name, Siminialayi, “the poor may beget the rich”.
This is obviously how Sir Siminialayi Fubara found himself where he is today; first as a renowned Accountant, and then, as a politician of note. From being a senior accountant in the Rivers State Civil Service, the effervescent Fubara,  rose from the ranks to become the Accountant General of the State, ostensibly, the beginning of his greatness.
Interestingly, his encounter with the people’s Governor, the true Mr Projects and Mr Infrastructure, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, at some point in time in the course of his illustrious career, as a civil servant and technocrat of note, apparently changed the trajectory of his political life. And perhaps, when all these happened, he never for once envisaged  it was really going to catapult him to an unimaginable Olympian height of becoming the Governor of Rivers State. Obviously, this political alliance with Governor Wike, in a way, may have also altered Fubara’s political thinking, philosophy and destiny, in no small measure, as a loyal member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). And why is it so?
Governor Wike is a well known political strategist. The bulldozer and strongman of Rivers politics today, with a huge political war chest.His political exploits are well documented.His political odyssey spans over 25 years or more. It all began in 1998, when he became the Chairmanship candidate of the PDP in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, which culminated in his successful election as the Executive Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, arguably one of the richest local government areas in the country.
For two consecutive terms of three years each, Wike managed the affairs of the council in a way none of his contemporaries ever did, prudently deploying scarce resources of the council to achieve unprecedented results. The council secretariat complex, for instance, which his administration constructed was second to none in the country.He took governance closer to the people at the grassroots by constructing roads, markets, police stations and making potable water available to the people, among others, and at the end of the day, became the very best all over the State and beyond.
Beyond this, as Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Wike made his marks until he was appointed a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in far away Abuja, where he continued his good works and vibrancy, positively touching the lives of his Rivers people and Nigerians. His disarming aura, coupled with his good works, apparently warmed him into the heart of the then President of the country, Dr Goodluck Jonathan.
With the countdown to the 2015 general elections, Chief Wike resigned his position as Minister and clinched the Rivers State governorship ticket of the PDP at the primary election.He subsequently won the governorship election and became the Executive Governor of the State, a position he will relinquish today.
Wike’s two terms in office as Governor, which will come to a resounding close today, are not only eventful but also heartwarming. The evidences of his good works abound and are everywhere. They speak for themselves.The Wike administration has a whopping 12 flyover projects to its credit.The footprints of this administration are scattered all over the State. Then, as an icing on the cake, the outgoing Governor, on Friday, approved the accelerated promotions of workers in the State Civil Service. Wike is no doubt leaving behind towering political credentials and milestones  that would be difficult for those coming behind him to obliterate and even surpass.
Incidentally, it is this political colossus and iroko, so to speak, that the Governor-elect, Sir Siminialayi Fubara is going to succeed today and probably ride on his political crest to rewrite the political history of the State as the days go by.
It all began during the countdown to the 2023 general elections; and the man, Fubara, widely seen as a political neophyte and dark horse was thrown up as Governor Wike’s anointed candidate.
For keen political observers in Rivers State, Fubara was never in the picture of the staunch political heavyweights gunning to succeed Wike or to supposedly take a shot at the governorship seat, particularly within the ruling PDP. They never gave him a chance. Names like Dr Tammy Danagogo; Senator George Thompson Sekibo; Rt Hon Austin Opara; Chief Abiye Sekibo; Senator Lee Maeba; Hon Isaac Kamalu; and Senator Olaka Nwogu, among others, were intimidating enough to scare the day light out of the life of any other contender.
But as the true political godson of the master political strategist himself, and a loyal party man, Fubara was able to grab the PDP governorship ticket at the primary election, despite all odds.He won the primary election clean and square.He also flew the party’s flag at the March 18, 2023 governorship election and convincingly won the election, thus, setting the stage for his inauguration today as the 6th Executive Governor of the State.
Though a seemingly political dark horse, Siminialayi Fubara has come a long way, having been under the tutelage of Governor Nyesom Wike for several years now. As a seasoned technocrat, he perfectly understands the nuances of political administration and governance. Moreover, his riverine background and cosmopolitan disposition as a Port Harcourt boy, of course, is a perfect mix that would take the oil rich State to another glorious height of unprecedented infrastructural development, unquantifiable prosperity and uncommon economic boom in the next four years.
Humane, calm, humble and calculating, Fubara, the dark political horse has emerged, and he is expected to bestride the Rivers political landscape like a colossus, beginning from today and etch his name in gold like Governor Wike.

By: Donatus Ebi