In a heated accusation, former APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Timi Frank, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu is behind a calculated scheme to unseat Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Frank claims the President is applying pressure on Fubara to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) or face removal from office.

The allegation follows a Federal High Court ruling that seized Rivers State’s monthly allocation funds, which Frank condemned as unconstitutional and a means to destabilize the governor. Frank expressed the believes that the court decision is part of a plan led by Tinubu, designed to force Fubara into the APC after the governor’s refusal to join the ruling party, reportedly at the encouragement of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.

“The President has remained silent on the clear constitutional violations occurring in Rivers,” Frank said in a statement he issued in Abuja on Friday.
He added that the President is allegedly upset with Fubara’s stance, influenced by Wike, who is said to doubt Tinubu’s chances of winning Rivers State in the 2027 presidential election if Fubara remains independent.

Frank further asserted that federal security agencies are acting against Fubara under directives, intending either to secure his loyalty to the President or initiate his removal.
He specifically condemned Justice Joyce Abdulmalik’s controversial ruling on Rivers’ statutory allocations, asserting it would have “dire consequences.”

Frank warned Tinubu against further actions that might undermine Rivers’ financial autonomy or jeopardize Fubara’s position, cautioning that such moves would meet with strong opposition from the state and across the Niger Delta.
He urged Fubara to stand firm, stating that the people of Rivers are solidly behind him.

Frank also called on the international community to address the growing crisis, warning that a larger regional conflict could disrupt operations of International Oil Companies (IOCs) in the Niger Delta.
He emphasized that timely intervention is needed to prevent escalations that could affect the region’s stability and economic interests.

Frank, who is also the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, condemned the court ruling as a significant blow to democracy in Nigeria, urging Nigerians to hold the President accountable for any harm directed at Governor Fubara or the people of Rivers State.

The Rivers State Government has dismissed as false a social media report alleging that Governor Siminalayi Fubara ordered the shutdown of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) and all oil companies operating in Rivers State.

Describing the news as “spurious” and “propaganda from enemies of the State,” the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Warisenibo Joe Johnson, clarified that Governor Fubara remains committed to lawful governance and would not resort to extreme measures that could harm the economy. He assured the public that the Governor had never contemplated or issued any directive to close down NNPCL or oil companies in the state.

The government has urged Rivers residents and Nigerians to disregard this “fake report,” noting it was circulated by an unverified source.

The Rivers State Government has moved to appeal a Federal High Court decision that has suspended the monthly allocations from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). This ruling has intensified the ongoing political strife between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, who is affiliated with former Governor Nyesom Wike.

The court’s ruling, issued by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, found that Governor Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget to only four Assembly members was unconstitutional. The judge highlighted the governor’s improper use of state funds without full legislative approval, labeling it a breach of constitutional mandates.

In a statement, Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Joseph Johnson, voiced confidence in the appeal, criticizing the trial judge’s rejection of significant motions, including the inclusion of 23 council chairmen and the state’s efforts to change its legal counsel.

The ruling requires the CBN, along with Zenith Bank and Access Bank, to prevent disbursement of state funds until the budget is properly approved by a constitutionally valid Assembly. This decision stems from a lawsuit initiated by the Rivers House of Assembly, which contends that Governor Fubara did not adhere to a prior court order to resubmit the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the faction led by Amaewhule.

As the appeal process unfolds, the political climate in Rivers State remains fraught with uncertainty, with both parties preparing for potential repercussions in this escalating conflict.