Emergency rule in Rivers: So far, so good

By Gabriel Agbonika

The recent declaration of Emergency Rule in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu government has elicited an unnecessary and unprecedented political controversies in the history of Nigeria’s democratic governance. This is because no right thinking Nigerian who has been following the political events in the oil rich Rivers State over the past several years can sincerely claim ignorant of the socio-economic and political negative image the State has continued to inflict on the people through the over inflated ego of their leaders. This image problem has been left unresolved for too long. Indeed, promotion of personal interest, abuse and misuse of power as well as disregard for rules of law have been allowed to dominate and dictate the governance of the State until the imposition of emergency rule by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu last week.
Two times within the past one and half years President Ahmed Tinubu personally Intervened to resolve the political impasse between the legislators and the Governor without achieving appreciative success . Stake holders and elder statesmen had mediated too without any reasonable results. No responsible President would allow such irritating crisis to persist in a developing society like Nigeria .
The government of President Tinubu has said that the decisive action taken through the imposition of emergency rule was imperative to avert a deeper crisis that threatened to plunge the state and potentially the nation into turmoil.
According to the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on 25/3/2025, explained that an urgent intervention became necessary as the political standoff between Governor Fabura and members of the State House of Assembly had escalated into a governance crisis, reaching the level of a potential violence and destruction of lives and infrastructural facilities.
Despite facing criticism from various quarters who have labeled the suspension as an infringement on democracy, Mr President maintains that the intervention is a “surgical reset aimed at restoring governance, insisting, that this is no power grab”,
Ononuga noted that the crisis in Rivers State, stemming from a bitter power struggle between Governor Fabura and member of the State House of Assembly had crippled governance. And despite supreme Court ruling advising constitutional governance, the feuding factions refused to back down.
The presidency also disclosed that intelligence reports confirmed that militants in the creeks were primed to sabotage critical oil infrastructure, posing a direct threat to Nigeria’s economy security. According to the statement, “The political standoff between the State Assembly and governor Siminalayi Fabura could have continued and degenerated into the stage of violence,”
The Special Adviser believes strongly that if the Impeachment threat that was being planned by the lawmakers as revealed by intelligence reports available to the Presidency, that issue could have spurred attacks on lawmakers by the governor’s supporters, while militants in the creeks – primed to sabotage critical oil infrastructure -could have plunged Nigeria’s oil production back to pre-2023 level
Mr Onanuga was in pains to point out that sensational reporting of the political crisis in Rivers State by some unreasonable journalists and opportunistic litigation by some over ambitious lawyers after the emergency rule have inflamed tensions further thereby threatening to paralize governance and risking the anticipated success of emergency rule in Rivers State. No right thinking Nigerian, who has genuine interest for peace in the area would disagree with that argument.
Between Governor Siminalayi Fabura and members of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Onanuga has explained that a chain of events since the crisis started 14 months ago among the combatants, “tension and bitterness had indeed paralyzed the governance in Rivers State to the point where Fabura had copied from the bad book of former governor Obaseki in Edo, and emasculated the House of Assembly entirely.” The Presidency believes strongly that this reality, certainly informed the supreme Court’s damning verdict about the government in the State as enshrined in the 1999 constitution as amended. It will be recalled that “the court excoriated Fabura for acting like a despot”
On the suspension of the Governor from office, Nigerians should, therefore, not forget that he is at the center of the crisis and if any progress is to be made in finding a final solution to the crisis, he and the legislators cannot sit in their offices and have another leader leading the peace process. This is no power grab.
For point of emphasis Federal Government intervention is a temporary and surgical measure aimed at restoring-not replacing-democratic institutions. The six months suspension is designed to disarm warring factions and stabilize governance..
It must also be pointed out the act of hypocrisy of some critics who remained silent when Fabura refused to cooperate with the legislature, yet condemn the President’s move of imposing the State of Emergency. Democracy cannot strive amidst lawlessness. Anachy is it’s antithesis.
Mr Ononuga stated that the Nigerian constitution (section 305) empowers the president to act when the nation faces a breakdown of law, order, and economic security. That’s precisely the case in the Rivers. The presidency reference historical precedence including past State of emergency in Plateau and Borno, as well as the doctrine of necessity, to justify Tinubu’s decisive actions. If heaven didn’t fall during those events why would some people now believe that Tinubu’s decision to impose Emergency Rule in Rivers is a.breach of the Constitution? Pure cheap propaganda!
The president’s oath demands that he must safeguard national stability, not idly as partisan strife strangles our democracy. Rivers is a vital economic artery, and any political motivated disruption in its oil industry has nationwide consequences. With the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas (Rtd) as administrator of Rivers State, efforts are already underway to restore peace and resume democratic governance.
The president has reassured Nigeria’s that the state of emergency would be lifted once the stability is achieved, allowing elected officials to resume their duties.
I align myself with the words of Mr Onanuga, “President deserves commendation, not condemnation.. President Tinubu chose courage over complacency, his actions prioritize Nigerian’s interest over political expediency, averting a deeper crisis. To those calling him a ‘tyrant’, the calm in Rivers today vindicate the President’s decision”.