The state of emergency declared in Rivers State is due to expire on September 18, 2025, unless President Bola Tinubu seeks an extension, and many residents say they are eager for a return to democratic rule.
Mr. Clement, 28, a Rivers native living in London, told New Daily Prime, “The best thing for Rivers State now is a return from emergency rule to democracy. The state needs development, and there is no alternative to a system where citizens can reach the leaders they elected.”
Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution empowers the President to impose emergency rule in times of war, imminent invasion, a breakdown of public order, natural disaster, or any other threat to the nation’s survival. Such proclamations must, however, be endorsed by the National Assembly within 2 days if in session, or 10 days if not, and cannot exceed 6 months without further approval by a two-thirds majority in both chambers.
The Rivers State crisis was triggered by a bitter power struggle between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Minister Nyesom Wike. Following the declaration, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas was appointed sole administrator, while Governor Fubara and several elected officials were suspended.
Since then, the emergency rule has sharply divided opinion. Civil society groups, women’s associations, and opposition leaders have demanded its immediate end, describing it as unconstitutional and undemocratic. Supporters within the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), including the suspended Speaker of the State House of Assembly, have praised President Tinubu’s decision, which they described as a courageous move to restore law and order.
Fubara faced ‘battles’
Fubara, who assumed office after winning the 2023 gubernatorial election as the Governor of Rivers State, faced backlash over the non-recognition of the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, including the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, who were alleged to have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December of the same year.
This development has led to constitutional debate. Nigeria’s constitution notes that anyone who defects from their original party to another must vacate the seat unless their defection is due to internal divisions within the party.
Due to the Rivers State High Court order declaring the seats of the defectors vacant, this led to several legal battles, from the Court of Appeal upholding the Federal High Court’s decision on budget presentation, to the reinstatement of the 27 lawmakers and Amaewhule as the Speaker in July 2024.
Read Also: Rivers LG polls: APC kicks, Wike camp heads for court
The Supreme Court later dismissed the suit filed by suspended Fubara seeking the removal of 27 members of the State House of Assembly over their defection, and awarded N4 million to be paid to the House and the Speaker, Amaewhule, Premium Times report indicated.
Assumption of Ibas administration
Following the assumption of the sole administrator in Rivers State, Ibas’ administration has witnessed record-breaking achievements, says Prof Julius Ihonvbere, Chairman of the House of Representatives Special Adhoc Committee, in a Punch report.
Meanwhile, Ibas’ administration has overseen security sensitisation with stakeholders at the grassroot levels, ongoing reconstruction of the RSHA complex, local government chairman and chancellor elections, partnerships with firms and, recently, the retrieval of N5 billion from the state’s August salary bill, following a comprehensive staff verification exercise.
The recent substantial sum recovered was disclosed on Tuesday during civil servant training, revealing that non-existent workers and payroll impostors were uncovered.
As the former Chief of Naval Staff of Nigeria’s (CNS) tenure as sole administrator draws to an end on 18 September, marking the completion of the six-month period set for the emergency rule, Rivers residents are eagerly anticipating the return of democratic rule despite it being described as unconstitutional and unlawful.
Residents react
Some of the residents interviewed by New Daily Prime on the performance and impact of the outgoing sole administrator expressed their views, noting that his governance was not felt, while others noted that he maintained peace in the state.
Mr Smart Nwokocha, a teacher and resident of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State, said that for the past six months, Ibas’ leadership and assumption of office had been challenging, with little impact lately.
He said that before the emergency rule was declared in the state, Rivers State, especially Port Harcourt, the capital city, used to be quite clean before Ibas became administrator. But after the declaration, the city became a “dump site.”
Nwokocha explained further as he revealed the emptiness of the state, noting that nothing was working during the emergency rule.
“But basically, towards the end of his administration, in fact, just nearly after the local government election that was conducted by RSIEC, he brought on board a Rwema chairman by the name of Anosike, the former chairman of the Ikwerre Local Government. And he came on board and was able to bring up this sanitation team back to the former state that is obtainable every month end. And so that month end, there was an election, so he shifted it to the first week of September, and so Port Harcourt became clean because there was a massive tunnel,” he said.
While speaking further to this newspaper, he shared that the declaration and Ibas’ administration had set the state backwards, highlighting the suspension of contractors at various ongoing projects placed the state in the limelight.
“A lot of construction work that was ongoing was a bit slow, and some even stopped. A lot of things, you know, for me, if you ask me, it was a bit backward.
When asked about his expectations from suspended Governor Fubara’s administration upon resumption on 18 September and his impact on the state, he said that despite being away as Rivers governor, the state awaits Fubara’s return as the democratically elected governor.
“And before the state of emergency, I mean, Rivers State was moving. Civil servants were happy. Things were moving in the state. Construction work, everything, good capital and human development are on the rise. So it was obvious. So coming back, we are expecting him to build on what he has done before.
“But I think part of the challenge people will have, and people will be sceptical, is the fact that coming back now, are we going to see the same Governor Fubara that we saw before? Or are we going to see a different Governor Fubara now, considering that people might feel that a lot of things must have been compromised? But we are expecting him to build on what he has done before, and even do better. So yes, people will be relieved. I mean, a lot of people are so eager to see him come back on board, based on what he has done before.
Expressing his thoughts on how Governor Fubara’s administration can ensure transparency and accountability in governance upon resumption, Nwokocha said that would be challenging, despite leaving the seat for a long time as the state governor.
“How transparent is his governance going to be compared to what was obtained before? I think we can only wait to see what unfolds when he comes on board on September 18. So we can’t really tell until he sits in the office and begins to execute his functions as the democratically elected governor.
“So we just hope that he will be able to live up to expectations, carry on with the way he has been carrying before, like the kind of work he has put in. So, however, I think we can only say that when he comes on board. When he comes on board, whatever he does, we will use it vis-a-vis what he has done before, and make our judgments,” Nwokocha said.
Another resident of Obio/Akpor LGA, Leo Kirigbo, a freelance technician who spoke with our correspondent, said out of 10 per cent, he would rate the performance of Ibas at 4% because his assumption into office was not noticed.
“Sometimes, I almost don’t even remember there is a sole administrator in power over the suspension of Siminalayi Fubara. I’ve not really benefited directly from Siminalayi Fubara, but someone close to me is a relative of the deputy. So I was engaged in a particular activity which was good. But people around me benefited because in my area, when they demolished to expand the road and all, people were really compensated.
“Without question, everybody was smiling. And you know that when you credit a family member, the rest of the family members get to benefit from it because there’s money to start a business and all of that. Not to talk of paying civil servants, increasing their salaries and the rest. A friend of mine, her mum’s salary was increased and she bought food for us.
He explained that the gesture brought smiles to people, particularly when Fubara was in power, while lamenting, “And now, the sole administrator. Apart from paperwork and discipline, I cannot really feel the impact of this governance. Because it’s really sad to see that the same person, my friend’s mum that was happy, is the same person that is complaining that they are delaying salaries. And she’s even saying that the sole administrator is not just delaying salaries, but they are cutting their salary percentage from it.”
He further questioned why his friend’s mother’s salary was slashed.
He questioned, “But why? What do they want to do that was not done when the salary was increased during this period of Siminalayi Fubara? So I could say he has done more harm than good since he got into power. And for me myself, I have never or have not felt any impact from it so far. As a matter of fact, even the state is not even happy or nothing exactly has been improved. We are living like there is nobody governing the state because there is literally no effective communication as to governing bodies around. Nobody is talking about the state, they are just all about the nation.
When speaking about his expectations from suspended Governor Fubara, the freelance technician said he is expecting the governor to win back the people’s hearts, which he has lost.
“Because we all knew that he fought for the state, he fought for justice. And my expectation is for him to do two times better than what he has been doing or what he did. When I mean better, I’m talking about putting attention into other sectors for revenue generation, pushing social impacts, increasing economic value. So things like the sports sector, tech part of it, because we have a Rivers State ICT laboratory or lab tech at Airforce, which is not being paid attention to. There are creative people out there that do not have the spotlight enough for them to showcase their skills.
He added further, “So there are a lot of sectors, apart from building bridges, which is okay, and fixing up roads, that he can do, as well as also settling pensioners and all of that. I knew he was trying in that regard. I’m looking forward to him rejuvenating the state, bringing it back, not just to how it was, but even in a better light.
He concluded that Fubara is the SIM card Rivers residents and the entire state need in their phones for better networks. “So I’m being optimistic about it.”
Mrs Blessing Chimieze, a resident in Eleme LGA of the state, explained that since the assumption of Ibas as sole administrator, the state has witnessed peace for months, noting that there are no more riots, fights, and people no longer have the fear of losing their properties to thugs.
“Boys no longer destroy people’s properties,” she added. “You go out freely, you don’t notice anything. You’re not afraid of anything. At least for the quietness and the calmness of the society, he has done good.”
When speaking on infrastructural development under Ibas administration, she echoed, “Hasn’t really done anything. I don’t really know if he has done anything like that.”
Expressing her expectations from the suspended Governor Fubara upon the completion of the six-month emergency rule in the state, Mrs Chimieze said her expectations were for him to make the society a better place, quiet and peaceful.
“Peace is the number one thing. Wherever he stops, he will continue from there, from his good work. Because most people have not really spoken badly of him.
While describing Fubara as a good person and anti-corruption administrator, she noted that his administration was not bad.
