Ambassador Blessing Fubara Senior, the brother of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has officially entered the 2027 governorship race under the platform of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), promising to serve for only a single four-year term if elected.
Making his declaration ahead of the party’s upcoming primary election, the aspirant described himself as a “ready, competent and energetic” choice who is fully equipped to restore tranquility, institutional stability, and economic growth to the state.
Fubara lamented what he termed a severe economic downturn and a systematic loss of dignity for Rivers State, demanding a collective political “uprising” from citizens across party lines to salvage its fortunes.
He said, “I am addressing you today on the occasion of the Nigerian Democratic Party, Nigerian Democratic Congress Party primary elections across states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are standing on a ground competent, reliable and reputable to restore the soul of Nigeria and restore the soul of River State. The case of the political happenings in Rivers State cannot be overemphasised. The people are feeling for this purpose.”
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Expressing deep dissatisfaction with current political dynamics, the governorship hopeful described Rivers State as highly distressed and heavily shortchanged.
He said, “We have lost opportunities. We have lost investments. We have lost our dignity as a people. We have lost our pride as Rivers people.”
He pledged to reposition the state as a booming economic hub while strictly defending the established rotational zoning arrangement. According to him, the Rivers South-East Senatorial District must be allowed to complete its full eight-year tenure at the helm of affairs.
“Therefore, it is time for a total uprising, for us to make a statement across party lines, across our ethnic and political sentiments, to take over our states and return our dear River States to the zenith of the state as it was known as the treasure base of the nation that was characterised with steaming and booming economic prosperity, people’s community investment advantages. Today, we see a River State that is distressed. Today, we see a River State that is shortchanged. Today, we see a River State that seems almost like a conquered state. No, we are not a conquered people,” he said.
The aspirant argued that real political power resides with the populace rather than deep financial pockets, expressing immense confidence in his grassroot appeal.
“We have decided to offer ourselves to you as a state. We might not challenge the financial capacity that they have, but we know that we have the people, so we are richer in capacity.”
He charged his support base across all 23 local government areas to turn out in massive numbers for the upcoming party primaries.
“I’m calling on my 2 million fans across the 23 local governments of River State that are carrying party holders of the Nigerian Democratic Congress to all come in mass, stand at your polling units, stand at your wards, make a statement for us to reclaim the soul of our dear River States,” he also said.
“We have vowed to you to keep the peaceful existence of the political rotation of River States according to our founding fathers by our districts. The River Southeast Senatorial District must complete their 8-year tenure. Therefore, I have vowed to do just a 4-year one-term tenure to bring the expected prosperity and development in River State. When that is done, we will stand with all of our capacity and paraphernalia of office to support our next brother who will come from the next senatorial district,” he said.
He warned that any attempt to alter the rotational agreement between senatorial districts would establish a dangerous and unsettling trend for the political stability of the state.
“It is of pertinent reasoning for us to understand that it sets a very wrong and dangerous precedent if we alter the senatorial rotation of our leadership and governance in the state. River State has been peaceful in spite of the restlessness that also can be witnessed every other place in the world. Politically, within the years past, we have seen the worst part of politics that the world has never witnessed. But I stand to be the only candidate across party lines that will restore peace, that will merge experience and competence to further on the growth and prosperity of our dear River State,” he said.
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Concluding his address, Fubara urged his “elder brother” in the political contest to exit the race and support the popular movement to reclaim the state.
“Therefore, I call on my elder brother also in the contest to see reasons to the reason that this is the right time for us to take over our state. To rather step down and support the call of the people, the uprising of the people for us to take back our dear state and restore a prosperous and progressive state for all. Long live River State. Long live Nigeria. Long live the Nigerian Democratic Republic. We are all in this together. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you,” he said.
