By Tobore Jerome
The declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, following the political impasse between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the 27 Lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to former governor of Rivers State and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has continue to generate mixed reactions among various groups and stakeholders across the country.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday last week relying of section 305 of the 1999 constitution as amended, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State in which the governor, Sim Fubara, his deputy, Prof Ngozi Ordu and members of the House of Assembly were suspended for an initial period of six months. The president declaration was subsequently approved by a 2/3 majority of both houses of the National Assembly (Senate and the House of Rep) using voice vote.
While some groups and individuals have criticized the declaration of the state of emergency in Rivers State and the suspension of the democratic institution in the state such as the governor, the deputy and the lawmakers as an abuse of power and threat to democracy, others have hailed the president decision, calling it a timely move in the right direction so as to restore peace to already troubled oil rich state.
Notable among groups and individuals that have criticized the president decision includes; the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Social Economic Right and Accountability Project (SERAP), PDP Governors Forum, South South Governors Forum, former president, Goodluck Jonathan, former vice president and former presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, Human rights activist, Femi Falana SAN, Mike Ozekhome SAN, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Omoyele Sowore, Deji Adeyanju, Inibehe Effiong.
Others are, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Rivers Elders Forum, Northern Elders Forum, former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El rufai, former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Ameachi, former Bayelsa State governor, Senator Seriake Dickson among others, have all called for the restoration of democratic governance in Rivers State.
However, some stakeholders believe the state of emergency declaration in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu is actually a recipe for political solution, following the continuous disagreement between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor Nyesom Wike and the 27 Lawmakers loyal to Wike.
Many believe that the political crisis in the state have defied all available means of reconciliation and could degenerate into a full blown war that may lead to total breakdown of law and order in Rivers State. The crisis could also lead to threat to national security and economic sabotage, with some militant groups already talking tough to blow up pipelines across the state and other parts of the Niger Delta region. Some of these threats were already manifesting, with the blowing of the Trans-Niger pipeline before the declaration of the state of emergency by President Tinubu.
Despite the Supreme Court judgement ordering Governor Fubara to represent the 2025 budget to the properly constituted House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, the political loggerhead continued due to the fact that both warring parties couldn’t agree on way forward as every attempt to implement the supreme court judgement meant stiff resistant.
So by declaring state of emergency in Rivers State, President Tinubu, has created room for political solution to resolve the long political crisis that has bedevilled the state, some stakeholders also believe the president has given Governor Fubara a lifeline, because the move to impeach the governor by the 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike has already commenced and such move by the lawmakers to impeach the governor could have further aggravated the tension in the state, as attempt to impeach the governor might throw the state into turmoil.
FINAL THOUGHT
Since the political crisis in Rivers State have defied all legal solution, which led to the declaration of a state of emergency by Mr President and the appointment of sole administrator, in the person of Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas (Rtd) to administer the state for the next six months until the crisis are solved, political solution would be the quickest recipe to resolve all lingering issues.
Therefore, it is imperative for all the gladiators involved in the political crisis, which includes the Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Ordu, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and the members of the House of Assembly, to use this window of the emergency declaration to return to the negotiating table and dialogue on ways to return normalcy to Rivers State.
The National Assembly has equally urged President Tinubu to end the state of emergency and restore democratic governance in Rivers State immediately parties involved in the crisis come to an agreement and resolve to work together in the interest of the state for the peace to reign.
