Fubara Appoints New SSG and Chief of Staff in Rivers Government Reshuffle
By: Abudu Olalekan
A surprise decision by Governor Fubara brings fresh faces into key roles. Suddenly, a new SSG steps in alongside a different Chief of Staff. The shift in Port Harcourt follows closely after last week’s agreement. Behind the scenes, President Tinubu helped arrange terms with former minister Wike. Tensions had been building for months before the resolution emerged. Now, top-level changes reflect that settlement. Moves at this level rarely happen without strong backing. This time, the influence came from Abuja. Political adjustments often follow quiet negotiations. Here, one handshake reshaped the governor’s inner circle. Few saw it coming, yet the signs were there.
Fresh tension crackled through Port Harcourt on Thursday. A new shake-up rippled across the scene. Anyone tracking Rivers State politics understands how fast ground shifts there. Just like that, it shifted again.
A sudden message came from the government. It carried the name Onwuka Nzeshi, head of the governor’s media team. Brief. Clear. Without extra words. Siminalayi Fubara now has someone fresh in the role of Secretary to the State Government. At the same time, a different person steps into the Chief of Staff position.
Just like that.
Dr. Dagogo Wokoma steps into the role of SSG. Barrister Sunny Ewule takes up duties as Chief of Staff. Right after the announcement came through, effective without delay. Swearing-in set for 2 pm, mere hours ahead, within Government House walls. Not a moment to spare.
No explanation came with the announcement. Not surprising. They rarely do. Yet understanding why doesn’t demand expertise. Just some recent awareness. The signs weren’t merely visible – they glowed like streetlights at midnight.
This happens now. Out here. This marks how that agreement really ends up working out. Reality shows up instead.
That meeting in Abuja – hard to forget. President Bola Tinubu got involved because things were spiraling. Fubara, the governor, sat across from Nyesom Wike, once his boss now clashing with him. Both dragged into talks by force of circumstance. A push to remove Fubara was already moving fast back home. Tension filled every moment. Nothing smooth about it.
Peace came after the President stepped in. Not agreement, but silence followed. Conditions were handed out like old letters. Steps toward calm appeared, shaky at first. Lawmakers inside the State House gave way – Martin Amaewhule guiding their move – pulling back charges aimed at Fubara and his second-in-command just days ago. Smiles showed up when lenses pointed. Still, what held was thin, ready to crack.
Peace never comes free. Today, its cost shows up in plain sight.
Mr. Benibo Anabraba leaves his post as former SSG. Gone too is Edison Ehie from the Chief of Staff seat. That role, previously under quiet scrutiny by Reportersroom, stirred murmurs across hallways. Some said he held influence long before stepping into view – fueling tension amid shifting control. Now? All guesswork ends here.
Fresh on the heels of upheaval, things shifted again. Not long ago, Fubara let go all eight commissioners at once. His Special Advisers got word too – time to leave. Without these exits, the agreement might never have stuck. Power changed hands because someone had to answer first. Here lies the raw math of Nigeria’s power game. Where one side gains from a truce, another quietly bleeds.
Out here, where Wokoma and Ewule gear up to swear in, folks across Port Harcourt sit waiting. Could this mark the close of the upheaval? Maybe it’s simply page one of what comes after – the ongoing clash between a leader and his former mentor still simmering beneath. Things seem calm at present – yes – but then again, peace in Rivers State tends to wear thin fast.
