President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator of Rivers State.
The inauguration was held at the State House Abuja on Wednesday even as the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, at a State House press briefing, backed the release of Rivers State allocation to the new administration following a state of emergency in the state.
In a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu revealed that his personal efforts to mediate the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State were ignored by the warring factions.
Tinubu declared a State of Emergency in the oil-rich state, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the state house of assembly, including other elected officials.
“I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis,” Tinubu stated during the broadcast.
AGF Briefing
- When asked if the Federal Government would release the allocation from the federation account to the new administration in the state, the Minister said it would be in order for the funds to be released to the new administration, if the administrator requests for it.
“And to me, it will be in order for the release of that fund because the event of the extraordinary situation has brought them out of the normal situation of things,” he said.
- Fagbemi supported the state of emergency declaration by the president, saying it aligns with the reasoning of the Supreme Court which had faulted the Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara for destroying the state legislature.
- He added that the intervention was necessary in view of the attack on the country’s oil pipelines among other developments.
“For anyone to touch these pipelines is not only the enemy of rivers, it’s the enemy of Nigeria. All Nigerians, in all the 36 states share in what comes in from the production of this oil. And I believe that the decision of Mr. President is anchored on the decision of the Supreme Court,” he added.
He stressed that the inability of those involved, both the House of Assembly and the governor, from being able to create an enabling environment for the people of Rivers to enjoy the dividends of democracy, gave birth to emergency rule.
” If he (Tinubu) had waited maybe a day longer, only God knows what would have followed,” he added.
More insights
The president of the Nigeria Bar Association, Afam Osigwe SAN had called on the National Assembly to reject any unconstitutional attempt to ratify the removal of the Rivers State Governor and other elected officials.
- He warned that suspending elected officials under emergency rule sets a dangerous precedent that undermines democracy and could be misused to unseat elected governments in the future.
- He demanded that all actions taken in Rivers State should strictly conform to constitutional provisions and Nigeria’s democratic norms.
- He encouraged all stakeholders, including the judiciary, civil society, and the international community, to closely monitor the situation in Rivers State to prevent unconstitutional governance and abuse of power.
Reactions and Implications
The declaration has sparked mixed reactions across the country.
- While some have applauded the president’s decisive action to restore peace in Rivers State, others have raised concerns about the implications for democracy and the rule of law.
- Critics argue that the suspension of elected officials could set a dangerous precedent for federal interference in state affairs.
- As the situation unfolds, all eyes will be on Rivers State to see how the emergency measures impact the political landscape and whether they succeed in bringing an end to the protracted crisis.
