June 12: Bode George Urges Tinubu to Forgive Fubara as He Did Sanwo-Olu

As Nigeria prepares to mark Democracy Day on June 12, elder statesman and former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to forgive and reinstate Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, invoking the spirit of reconciliation and national healing that the day represents.

In an open letter addressed to the President, Bode George said that just as President Tinubu recently extended forgiveness to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, a similar gesture should be offered to Governor Fubara, whose political leadership was disrupted following a months-long standoff with his predecessor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Governor Fubara’s administration has been embroiled in a deep-rooted political conflict with Wike, leading to divisions within the Rivers State government.

The tension escalated to the point where Fubara was reportedly sidelined from state affairs and replaced, in practice if not by law, with a sole administrator earlier this year.

This marked an unprecedented intervention by the federal government in a state’s governance, raising serious questions about democratic norms and constitutional boundaries.

Despite these challenges, Fubara recently visited President Tinubu during the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations in Lagos, a move widely interpreted as a peace overture.

Observers viewed the meeting as a potential opening for reconciliation, much like Tinubu’s widely reported mending of relations with Governor Sanwo-Olu, following speculated political tensions in Lagos.

Chief George urged the President to act in the spirit of June 12, which symbolizes the triumph of democracy and the will of the people.

He recalled Tinubu’s role in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) during Nigeria’s dark years under military rule and appealed to that legacy of resistance, justice, and democratic principle.

“Your role in NADECO was clear and unforgettable. You stood on the side of the people when it mattered most,” George wrote. “As we mark this Democracy Day, I appeal to you to rise above politics and forgive Governor Fubara in the same manner you forgave Sanwo-Olu.”

He went further to invoke the memory of his own family’s legacy, citing his maternal grand-uncle, Herbert Macaulay, one of Nigeria’s founding nationalists and the father of modern nationalism.

“Nigeria is in dire need of healing,” he added. “And no day is more appropriate than June 12 to demonstrate that true leadership is not just about power, but about forgiveness, fairness, and unity,” he said.

The call by Bode George adds to growing pressure on the presidency to resolve the Rivers political crisis in a manner that respects the democratic mandate of the people.

Fubara was elected governor in 2023 and remains constitutionally in office, though power dynamics have recently shifted following the fallout with Wike and intervention from Abuja.

Supporters of the governor view the federal interference as undemocratic and argue that Tinubu, as a pro-democracy figure himself, should uphold the will of the electorate in Rivers State. On the other hand, some federal government allies believe the president’s earlier actions were aimed at restoring stability in the state.

June 12, now officially recognized as Nigeria’s Democracy Day, commemorates the annulled 1993 presidential election—widely regarded as the freest and fairest in the country’s history. President Tinubu, then a member of NADECO, was among those who fought against military dictatorship and called for the restoration of democratic rule.

With the President now occupying the highest office in the land, George’s letter serves as a reminder of the ideals that June 12 represents and challenges Tinubu to lead with the same democratic conviction he once championed.

President Tinubu has not yet publicly responded to Bode George’s appeal. However, political analysts say his next move could signal his broader approach to federal-state relations and conflict resolution within Nigeria’s evolving democratic framework.