Everyone wrote him off. They said he was finished. They predicted his political obituary. They counted down the days until his removal from office. But Governor Sim Fubara is still standing, and right now, he might actually be smiling.

Despite the Rivers State House of Assembly forwarding his impeachment letter to the Chief Judge, despite the political machinery grinding against him, despite Wike's relentless campaign to end his governorship, Fubara has done something that must be driving his enemies crazy: he's treating it all like a joke.

When asked about the impeachment proceedings, the Governor dismissed it with stunning audacity, calling it a "love letter." Not a threat. Not a crisis. A love letter.

And then he went further, boasting with the kind of confidence that either signals delusion or genuine strength: "I am still the 001."

That's not the statement of a man who's scared. That's not the response of someone who thinks he's about to be impeached. That's the attitude of a governor who knows something his enemies don't, or who's received assurances from somewhere that have made him untouchable.

And today, something happened that suggests Fubara might actually know what he's talking about.

The APC Rivers State branch—the same party structure that everyone assumed was firmly in Wike's control—has made a stunning appeal to the National body. They're calling on the APC national leadership to wade into the crisis, and here's the kicker: they've described the impeachment process by the state House of Assembly as an "illegal coup d'état."

Read that again slowly. The Rivers State APC branch is calling the impeachment attempt illegal.

This is massive. This is not some opposition party defending Fubara. This is his own supposed party structure saying that what the House of Assembly is doing violates the law and constitutional process.

Remember, everyone assumed that APC Rivers belonged to Wike. The narrative was that Wike controlled the party structure, that the National Vice Chairman for South South takes orders from him, that Fubara's "001" membership card was worthless because Wike was the real power.

But this statement from the state branch suggests something different. It suggests that maybe, just maybe, Fubara has been building his own structures quietly while everyone was focused on Wike's noise. It suggests that the battle for control of APC Rivers is not as one-sided as it appeared.

And then there's Wike's conspicuous silence.

The man who never shuts up, who always has something to say, who loves the media spotlight more than most politicians love power, has suddenly gone quiet about the impeachment issue.

Why?

Wike is not the type to go silent during a political battle, especially one this important. He's the type who would be on every TV station, every radio program, every newspaper, explaining why Fubara must go and why the impeachment is justified.

But instead? Silence. Deafening silence.

Some people are gossiping—and in Nigerian politics, gossip is often just truth that hasn't been officially confirmed yet—that there are serious technicalities surrounding the impeachment process. Legal landmines that could blow up the whole thing.

The word on the street is that the Speaker of the House had a window of opportunity to initiate impeachment proceedings, and that window has closed. That there were specific constitutional requirements and timelines that were not followed. That the entire process is legally defective and could be thrown out by the courts.

If this gossip is true, it would explain everything: Fubara's confidence, the APC Rivers branch calling it an illegal coup, and most tellingly, Wike's sudden silence.

Because if Wike knows the impeachment is legally doomed, why waste political capital defending it? Why go on TV and tie yourself to a sinking ship? Better to stay quiet, let it fail, and then regroup for the next attack.

But here's where the plot thickens even more: President Tinubu is in town.

The same Tinubu who intervened the first time to stop Fubara's impeachment is back in Nigeria, and everyone is watching to see if he'll wade in for a second time.

Will he?

The political calculations have changed significantly since the first intervention. Back then, Tinubu could play the neutral arbiter. But now, with the APC Rivers State branch openly opposing the impeachment, with questions about the legality of the process, with Fubara firmly in APC (whether Wike likes it or not), Tinubu has to be more careful.

If he supports the impeachment and it fails in court due to technicalities, he looks weak and loses credibility. If he opposes the impeachment, he antagonizes Wike, who has been a valuable ally. If he stays neutral, both sides will be unhappy with him.

It's a political minefield, and Tinubu is too experienced to walk into it blindly.

The smart money says Tinubu will probably call for calm, urge both sides to dialogue, and essentially buy time while letting the legal process play out. That way, he doesn't pick a side, doesn't alienate anyone, and can claim he was being a statesman regardless of the outcome.

But make no mistake: if the impeachment fails, if Fubara survives this second attempt on his governorship, it will be a massive victory for him and a devastating loss for Wike.

Will Fubara have the last laugh over Wike?

Right now, it's starting to look that way. The man who was supposed to be begging for mercy is instead calling impeachment letters "love letters" and boasting about being "001." The party structure that was supposed to be against him is calling his impeachment illegal. The mentor who was supposed to destroy him has gone mysteriously quiet.

These are not signs of a man who's losing. These are signs of a man who might actually be winning.

The irony would be beautiful. Wike, the master political strategist, the godfather who has destroyed many political careers, potentially being outsmarted by his own creation. Fubara, who everyone dismissed as Wike's puppet, turning out to be the student who surpassed the master.

Of course, it's not over yet. This is Nigerian politics, where fortunes can change in an instant. Where yesterday's winner becomes tomorrow's loser. Where the person celebrating today could be crying tomorrow.

But for now, in this moment, Governor Sim Fubara is still standing. Still governing. Still calling himself "001." And still calling impeachment letters "love letters."

That's either the greatest political confidence game ever played, or it's the attitude of a man who genuinely knows he's going to survive this storm.

Time will tell which one it is. But one thing is certain: Fubara is not going down without a fight, and right now, he might actually be winning.

Now that Tinubu is in town, will he intervene for the second time to save Fubara? Will the technicalities around the impeachment process derail Wike's plans? Can the Speaker still push through with impeachment despite the legal challenges?

And most importantly, is this really the beginning of Fubara's last laugh over the man who tried to destroy him?

The answers to these questions will determine the future of Rivers politics. But for now, Governor Fubara is smiling, calling impeachment threats "love letters," and still very much the Governor of Rivers State.

What do you think? Is Fubara really about to have the last laugh, or is Wike just regrouping for an even bigger attack? Drop your thoughts in the comments section. This Rivers drama never ends!