“Forgive Fubara Like Sanwo-Olu, Reinstate Him in the Spirit of June 12” – Bode George Urges Tinubu

Bode George, a prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reinstate suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara as a gesture of reconciliation in honour of Nigeria’s Democracy Day.

In an open letter to the president, George appealed for clemency and unity, referencing Tinubu’s recent pardon of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. He urged the president to extend the same gesture to Fubara, describing it as a necessary act of national healing.

“Since Tinubu has forgiven Sanwo-Olu, then it makes a lot of sense, spiritually, to also forgive Fubara and let him return to office,” George stated. “On June 12, we will be celebrating Democracy Day. This is a reminder of the true meaning of democracy — the will of the people.”

George, a former PDP deputy national chairman (South-West), reminded Tinubu of his legacy as a key figure in the pro-democracy movement and a member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO). He said Tinubu should honour the memory of those who fought and died for democracy by taking steps to restore democratic governance in Rivers State.

“It is not of his making that he is alive today,” George said. “He should thank God, honour the memory of those who fought alongside him for democracy, and return Fubara to office immediately.”

He also invoked the legacy of Nigeria’s first political party founder, Herbert Macaulay—his maternal grand uncle—urging Tinubu to heed the call for justice in memory of those who laid the foundation for the nation’s democracy.

President Tinubu had announced on June 8, during a meeting with the Lagos Governor’s Advisory Council and other stakeholders, that he had forgiven Governor Sanwo-Olu, amid earlier intra-party tensions.

June 12 is celebrated annually as Democracy Day, commemorating Nigeria’s return to civilian rule and honouring the legacy of the late MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election.

The federal government declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, following intense political instability. This led to the suspension of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and the entire state House of Assembly for an initial six-month period. Retired naval officer Ibok-Ete Ibas was appointed as the state’s sole administrator.