By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt,The Nation
Copyright thenationonlineng
The emergency rule that quarantined Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, out of office has officially expired. And there will be no extension.
The six-month emergency administration of Administrator Ibok-Ete Ibas has ceased and he has vacated office without any delay. The crisis melted away like ice. The reconciliation between Fubara and his benefactor, Chief Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, facilitated it.
Those, especially the crisis merchants, who never wanted the reconciliation to happen prayed fervently against it but it occurred and signposted the beginning of restoration of the aborted constitutional democracy in the state. Fubara returned fully to his original political family and the entire Rivers governance process will return to its factory setting .
There were speculations that Ibas was lobbying for an extension but the body language of the Sole Administrator betrayed the insinuations. Ibas was not caught taking any action to stoke the crisis. He pursued the completion of the demolished House of Assembly complex; appointed members of critical boards and ensured the conduct of the local government elections that activated democratic governance at the grassroots.
The Senior Special Adviser, Media, Rivers Government, Hector Igbikiowubo, denied the insinuations. Though Fubara has returned there is a high probability that most people, who occupied various positions in his government during the crisis will not come back with him. Indeed, it is constitutionally impossible and against the judgement of the Supreme Court for most of his sacked commissioners to return to their positions.
The former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Iboroma Dagogo (SAN), leads the list of Fubara’s former aides that will not benefit from the reconciliation. He was among the 19 commissioners that were screened and confirmed by the illegal three-man House of Assembly led by Victor Oko-Jumbo.
Other commissioners of Fubara that had lost out of the reconciliation are Charles O. Beke, Collins Onunwo, Solomon Eke, Peter Medee, Elloka Tasie-Amadi, Basoene Joshua Benibo, Tambari Sydney Gbara and Ovy Orluideye Chinendum Chukwuma.
Also, Illamu Arugu, Rowland Obed Whyte, Samuel Anya, Samuel Eyiba, Austin Emeka Nnadozie, Israel Ngbuelu, Evans Bipi, Otamiri Ngubo, Benibo Alabraba and Emmanuel Frank-Fubara, will suffer the same fate.
The reconciliation and subsequent conduct of the local government elections also swept away former Fubara’s loyalists, who were sacked by the Supreme Court as local government chairmen and councillors. The new system also buried the All Peoples Party (APP), which provided an alternative platform for Fubara’s loyalists to emerge the winners of the invalidated council poll. The APP, which capitalized on the crisis to become relevant in the state had gone back to its oblivious state.
None of Fubara’s loyalists including those, who were sacked as council officials, participated in the last local government election. Wike’s political family, which Fubara has reintegrated himself into, produced all the winners of the just-concluded local government elections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The worst hit by the reconciliation is Amb. Chijoke Ihunwo, who was sacked by the Supreme Court as the Chairman of Obio-Akpor, Wike’s Local Government Area. Ihunwo, out of what many people described as youthful exuberance, took his anti-Wike’s campaigns too far. He supervised the destruction of Wike’s statue in the council’s secretariat and removed Wike’s name from the administrative block.
The Rivers State House of Assembly led Speaker Martins Amaewhule is returning fully to resume its legislative duties. Ibas was said to have acquired over 30 Sports Utility Vehicles, the latest Range Rover Sports, for the lawmakers to facilitate their legislative duties.
All those that stood firm in the Wike’s political family enduring hardship throughout the period of the crisis are some of the greatest beneficiaries of Fubara’s return. They are said to be eagerly waiting for Fubara and preparing a grand reception for the governor.
But observers believe that the greatest beneficiaries of the emergency rule are Rivers as a state and its people. For about two years, the political crisis threatened the entire sectors of the state. It got to the crescendo and was tipping into a violent stage. In fact, some persons lost their lives and properties worth billions of naira were destroyed at some stages of the upheavals. Apart from attacks on oil installations, most analysts saw the crisis entering into a free-for-all and uncontrolled widespread bloodletting.
Indeed, if President Bola Tinubu had not intervened on time, many prominent persons in the state would have been assassinated and the state would have burnt to ashes. Perhaps persons criticising the emergency rule would have been everywhere accusing the President of refusing to save Rivers.
But the President who foresaw the implosion, wielded the big stick that calmed all the frayed nerves. Though the emergency aborted democratic governance in the state for a period of six months, people believe that no democracy is worth the blood of the governed especially the masses.
There is no gainsaying that the political actors had learnt their lessons. Ibas told them recently some the lessons the emergency rule should teach them.
He said one of the lessons is that “peace is priceless”.
The administrator said the emergency rule had thought everybody that “without security, no other aspiration is possible”.
Remarking that emergency was not a choice but a necessity, Ibas said the people had also learnt that “when governance is weakened, opportunism fills the vacuum endangering lives and livelihoods.
Ibas further said that the period was a testament that the “indomitable spirit of Rivers people cannot be broken”, adding that “they endured; they persevered and have remained steadfast”.
He said: “Emergency rule was never a choice, it was a necessity brought upon us by insecurity, political impasse and breakdown of trust.
“Yet in hindsight it offered us enduring lessons that peace is priceless; without security, no other aspiration is possible; that when governance is weakened, opportunism fills the vacuum, endangering lives and livelihoods and that the indomitable spirit of Rivers people cannot be broken. They endured. They persevered and have remained steadfast.
“The stability we have restored is the foundation upon which democracy is now rebuilt. Our guest speaker has done justice to the theme of the lecture, ‘Good Governance and Democratic Dividends”.
A former President of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Udengs Eradiri, said the Rivers emergency was also a testament that political crisis should not always be given the colours of religion and ethnicity. He recalled that when the disturbance began in Rivers, many Ijaw leaders were whipping up ethnic sentiment instead of reconciling Fubara and his political godfather, Wike.
“Those of us, who warned them against such narratives, were constantly attacked and disparaged. But immediately the emergency happened and Fubara as well as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly were stripped of their positions, those playing ethnic cards list their voices”.
Eradiri, a former Labour Party (LP) Governorship Candidate in Bayelsa State, said the emergency had also taught politicians the importance of amicably settling their crisis instead of allowing it to loom large adding that Rivers is a typical case of the aphorism, “when two brothers fight, strangers inherit their property”.
He said the crisis had made Fubara wiser and made him realize the need to evaluate personalities of individuals hanging around him. “He must going forward sieve all persons to differentiate the chaffs from the seeds. He should be able to identify crisis merchants, divisive elements and crusaders of violence”.
Eradiri said: “Only persons, who lack knowledge of what President Tinubu prevented in Rivers will criticise the method he adopted to restore normalcy in Rivers. But now that the state is back to a democratic path and all stakeholders have learnt their lessons, I expect Fubara to eschew acrimonies, roll his sleeves and hit the ground running again. He should avoid distractions and focus on catching up lost opportunities. I also appeal to members of the state House of Assembly to close ranks with the governor and work in harmony with him in the interest of development, prosperity and progress of Rivers.
The National Chairman of the Ikwerre Peoples Congress (IPC), Livingstone Wechie, said Fubara’s return heralded.a new era in the governance history of the state.
Wechie, who is also the President, Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo, Rivers State chapter, said it has reaffirmed the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to democratic values insisting that the President was forced to make timeous intervention in the state.
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He said: “The President made a timeous intervention which generated so much controversy in the political space but the state will now have an opportunity from September 18, 2025 to take a new route drawing lessons from the emergency rule and the issues that brought it on stream.
“You cannot rule out the intention of the President in his actions six months ago. It is immaterial any opinion to the contrary about the actions of the President.
“A key factor is that the governor now knows better and has become wiser while his benefactor Chief Nyesom Wike has also regained some lost traction in the state”.
Wechie said the Rivers temperature was charged and ready to embrace the suspended Governor Fubara adding that Ibas had done his bit.
He said: “The temperature of Rivers politics has now charged up to return to a democracy system with Governor Siminalayi Fubara back on the saddle. The Sole Administrator Mr. Ibas has done his bit and conclusively so.
“It will be cheering to see a functional Rivers State House of Assembly and other arms of the state government in full operations as the emergency rule ends.
“It is important that the political actors should strongly close ranks with a view to putting Rivers State first to enable the state redeem and reach its development potential”.
Rivers elders also said that the return of Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, Speaker Martins Amaewhule and members of the State House of Assembly afforded the state the opportunity to reflect on a number of issues such as “where we are coming from, what to do to avoid the reoccurrence of the unfortunate circumstances we found ourselves and significantly, how to sustain peace, unity and development in our beloved Rivers State.
The elders in a statement signed by their Chairman, Chief Ferdinand Alabrara urged all stakeholders, without exception, to embrace the peace and reconciliation that had now returned to the dear state.
They admonished some individuals and groups, who were still fanning the embers of discord to come to terms with the fact that the crisis was over and stop making inflammatory statements, inciting rhetoric in the media and whipping up sentiments for their selfish interests. They asked such disgruntled elements to prioritise the interest of the state and allow Governor Fubara and the House of Assembly to work together without further distractions.
They said: “We equally commend the governor and the leadership of the House of Assembly for making peace. At this point, we can only remind them that they did not only agree on peace in Abuja but also, on their own, went to the Villa and affirmed their reconciliation before His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. That vow before Mr. President remains sacrosanct. Therefore, going forward, they must work harmoniously in the interest of the state. The people of Rivers State expect nothing less from them.
“We use this opportunity to salute the good people of Rivers State for their patience and understanding throughout the period of the emergency rule. It is an attestation of faith in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose proactive action averted the disaster that was about to descend on the state.
The indefatigable political leader of Rivers State, the former Governor of the State and Minister of the FCT, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, deserves a special mention for his role in midwifing the entire reconciliation process. Again, he demonstrated that he was a man with a large heart. He did not only bring the parties together but also ensured that the parties went to Mr. President to brief him first hand on the details of their understanding”.
The elders commending President Tinubu for bringing Rivers back from the brinks and taking actions to ensure the return of peace in the state. Addressing the President,.they said: “We thank you once again for the confidence reposed in our son, brother, associate, and cherished leader as a member of your cabinet. Your astute resolution of the Rivers crisis is yet another manifestation of your goodwill towards the state.
“Mr President, we appreciate you and assure you that you have already captured the hearts of the people of Rivers State and as your administration continues to pursue the Renewed Hope Agenda, you can count on the support of Rivers people at all times.
In fact, with Fubara back to office; Speaker Amaewhule and the lawmakers resuming their legislative duties and the local government elections done and dusted, Rivers has bounced back and all stakeholders are expected to embrace the return of democracy after it’s six months of abortion.
