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Old video of Fubara saying Rivers assembly members do not exist resurfaces online 

Nurudeen Akewushola
Nurudeen Akewushola
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Fubara Siminalayi.
Fubara Siminalayi.

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A video showing the governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, stating that the members of the state assembly do not exist have resurfaced online, with a claim that it shows the governor’s comment amid a renewed political crisis in the state. 

An X user, @novieverest posted the video with a caption: 

“Sim Fubara is now talking like an APC Governor.

The ability to be demonic and Indaboski bahoose war mood. What cards does Wike have left? Lessons.” 

READ : Did Tinubu order reinstatement of Fubara?

The post has generated over 200 reposts and more than 800 likes as of January 13, 2026. 

Another X user, Lere Olayinka posted the video with a caption : 

“Fubara to Rivers assembly members: I determine your existence, I can de-recognise you.

Those group of men who claim that are Assembly members are not Assembly members, they are not existing. I want it to be on record. I accepted that Peace Accord to give them a floating. That is the truth. 

These are people that were eating in my house, these are people I have helped paid their children’s school fees when I wasn’t even a governor. So, what is the thing there? Their existence is me allowing them to exist. If I de-recognise them, they are nowhere.” 

The post has generated over 300 reposts and more than 1,000 likes as of January 13, 2026. 

CLAIM 

Video shows recent Fubara’s comment on the River’s political crisis.

 

THE FINDINGS 

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING. 

Rivers State has been enmeshed in a prolonged political crisis stemming from a power struggle between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who currently serves as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). 

The conflict, which became public shortly after Fubara assumed office in May 2023, reflects deep fractures within the state’s political elite and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). At the heart of the crisis is a contest over political control, loyalty, and influence within the state government and the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Tensions escalated in October 2023 when lawmakers perceived to be loyal to Wike initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Fubara, accusing him of gross misconduct. The move triggered widespread unrest, including the burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly complex under unclear circumstances. 

The governor responded by suspending several officials and restructuring parts of the state government, while a faction of the Assembly declared seats vacant and aligned itself with opposing political interests. The crisis soon drew national attention, prompting President Bola Tinubu to intervene and broker a fragile peace agreement in December 2023, which included reinstating lawmakers and restoring political calm.

READ ALSO : No! Photo does not show Rivers’ INEC Commissioner wearing Tinubu’s cap

Despite the presidential intervention, the truce proved short-lived. Political hostilities have resurfaced this year with parallel legislative sittings, court battles, and continued accusations from both camps. 

However, checks by The FactCheckHub show that the video circulating does not accurately reflect Fubara’s recent comment. The video has been online since May 2024. An earlier version was posted by BBC pidgin on May 7, 2024.

In the video, Fubara told a visiting delegation from Bayelsa State led by former Governor Seriake Dickson that there is no House of Assembly in the state, a statement that suggests the collapse of the peace deal brokered by President Bola Tinubu.

The delegation, which included political and traditional rulers from Bayelsa State, paid Governor Fubara a courtesy visit at Government House, Port Harcourt.

“Let me say it here, those group of men who claim that they are assembly members, they are not existing. I want it to be on record,”Fubara said. 

Fubara declared that the state has no house of assembly that he accepted the peace deal to give the lawmakers a “floating”.

“I accepted that peace accord to give them a floating. That’s the truth. There is nothing in that peace accord that is a constitutional issue. It is a political solution to a problem. I accepted it because these are people that were visiting me and we were together in my house.

“These are people that I have helped… in many ways when I wasn’t even a governor. Yes, we might have our disagreements, but I believe that one day, we could also come together. That was the reason I did it.

“But I think it has gotten to a time when I need to make a statement on this thing, so that they understand that they are not existing. Their existence and whatever they have been doing is because I allowed them to do so. If I don’t recognise them, they are nowhere, that is the truth,” Governor Fubara said.

The video was before the renewed crisis in the state. 

VERDICT 

The claim that the video shows Fubara recently saying that the state assembly does not exist in the state is MISLEADING. The video has been online since 2024. 

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Nurudeen Akewushola is a fact-checker with FactCheckHub. He has authored several fact checks which have contributed to the fight against information disorder. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 via Twitter.

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