Political analyst Jake Epelle has commented on the ongoing political tension in Rivers State, suggesting that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s recent withdrawal from a planned political process was a strategic move to avoid what he described as an unfair setup.
Speaking during an interview on May 21, 2026, Epelle argued that the governor stepped aside to prevent possible humiliation and political manipulation within the state’s power structure. According to him, there were already arrangements in place within the political system that could have worked against Fubara if he had proceeded with participation.
He claimed that influential forces within the Rivers political environment had positioned themselves in a way that could have undermined the governor’s chances, describing the situation as a carefully arranged political trap.
Epelle maintained that Fubara’s decision to withdraw should not be seen as weakness, but rather as a calculated response to an environment he believed was not fair or transparent. He suggested that continuing in such a process could have resulted in what he termed a “staged” or compromised election outcome.
In his words, “I was really reflecting this morning on his (Siminalayi Fubara) decision to back out and I see someone that is trying to avoid a booby trap, a political booby trap.”
He further added that, “They’ve set up all the missionaries to disgrace him. Make sure that the system capture that the honorable minister have succeeded in creating in River State would have rigged him out. So I think he made a strategic decision and a strategic move to pull out instead of going to the kangaroo polls and be disgraced.”
Epelle’s remarks add to ongoing debates surrounding Rivers State politics, especially the rivalry between key political actors in the state. His comments suggest that internal power struggles and influence networks continue to shape political decisions and outcomes in the region.
The situation remains a focal point of discussion as observers watch how Rivers State’s political landscape continues to unfold ahead of future electoral activities.
