Siminalayi Fubara, the suspended governor of Rivers, has ruled out the possibility of returning to office after President Bola Tinubu declared an emergency rule in the oil-rich state.

Mr Fubara, who spoke during a service of songs in honour of the elder statesman, Edwin Clark, in Rivers capital, Port Harcourt, said he is not desperate to return to the government house.

He revealed that his spirit had long left the governor’s position, saying he now looks much better than when he was back then in office.

Mr Fubara exclaimed that he now had peace of mind since he had been away from the seat of power.

“I have peace. If you have known me, you’ve been seeing me; you can see I look better now.

“Some of you, have you asked yourself, do you think I’m even interested in going back there? I want to ask you, don’t you see how better I look,” Mr Fubara said in a viral video.

“Do you think I’m interested in it? If I have my way, I would say this is it. This is an altar of God. I don’t wish to go back there. My spirit left that place long ago.”

However, he urged his political supporters to focus on the purpose of the gathering rather than the insinuation of his return as Rivers’ governor.

“So, all these, I want everybody to focus, please. There are fights you don’t fight, there are some things you don’t do because you need to ask the person, Does he want it?”

The latest from Mr Fubara came after Mr Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers on March 16 following a protracted political battle between the former and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.

Mr Tinubu also suspended Mr Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and the Rivers State House of Assembly members for six months.

The president immediately announced the appointment of a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), to take charge of the governance in Rivers, an action widely condemned by critics.

The development forced 11 governors under the umbrella party of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to approach the Supreme Court to challenge the legality of Mr Tinubu’s action.

However, the National Assembly quickly rose in defence of the president and asked the court to throw out the suit, describing it as legally deficient and baseless.