WE WANT SIM: How Rivers Women Walk Out Of Remi Tinubu’s Empowerment Event, Demand Lady Valerie Fubara (VIDEO)

Thursday last week , tension soared n Rivers State as hundreds of women staged a dramatic walkout from the “Renewed Hope Initiative” empowerment programme organized by the Nigeria's First Lady Senator Remi Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to the report, the event, which was billed to feature the presentation of empowerment items to 500 women in the state, turned chaotic when the wife of the Sole Administrator, Mrs. Theresa Ibas, was invited to speak on behalf of the First Lady. The moment her name was announced, the atmosphere shifted.

Women chorus according to the video above:  “We want Valerie Sim-Fubara to address us, not the wife of an imposter! We want SIM!”

Accounts by Eyewitnesses said the women were visibly angered that Senator Remi Tinubu failed to show up after they were reportedly informed she would attend in person. Even more upsetting for them was the exclusion of the Rivers State First Lady, Lady Valerie Fubara, from the official lineup.

“We were told the First Lady of Nigeria would be here. If not her, then the wife of our Governor, Lady Valerie Sim-Fubara, should speak to us. Not someone representing someone who doesn't represent us,” one of the women fumed as she joined the protest walkout.

Despite efforts by the organisers to calm the situation, the crowd of women insisted on their demands and eventually exited the venue en masse, effectively grounding the event.

The protest is seen as a direct rejection of the political appointee structure in Rivers State and a strong show of support for Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his wife, Lady Valerie. Political observers say the incident reflects growing tensions over the legitimacy of certain figures aligned with recent federal interventions in the state.

 Neither Senator Remi Tinubu nor her media office issued a statement in response to the dramatic protest.

Court Jails 23 Internet Fraudsters in Benin City

Justices  W.l. Aziegbemhin and A.N. Erhabor of Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City between April 11 and 17  convicted and sentenced 23 internet fraudsters to various jail terms

The convicts are: Uzorchukwu Peace Udoka, Erubasa Oghenetega, David Ogwunu, Jude Okólie, Lucky Ehizojie, Chineye Isioma Christian, Obadiunor Josoph Ikechukwu, Ugochukwu Adingwu, Ifeanyi Okechukwu, Patrick Chinedu Chukwujekwe, Ugboh Chibuzor, Monday Shedrack, Udochukwu Onuka, Uzodion Luke and Ehighola Emmanuel Akhere.

Others are Godstime Osunde Oskpolor, Promise Onyugboh, Onuka Patrick, Chinonso Peter Iwuchukwu, Ajayi Aisosa, Aiwansoba Prince, Goddey Jeremiah and Ojimah John Oseni

They were prosecuted on  one-count separate charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, retention of proceeds of crime and possession of fraudulent documents by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Commission .

The charge against Chinonso Peter Iwuchukwu reads: "That you Chinonso Peter Iwuchukwu (m) on or about the 12th of April, 2025 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did have in your possession, documents which you knew or ought to have known contained false pretence, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 6 and 8 (b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

All the defendants pleaded “guilty” to their charges when they were read to them, prompting the prosecution counsel, F.A Jirbo, I.M Elodi, K Y. Bello, to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly while counsel to the defendants pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, stating that they have become remorseful for their actions.

Justice Erhabor convicted and sentenced Chinonso Peter Iwuchukwu, Jude Okolie, Obadiunor Josoph Ikechukwu, Ugochukwu Adingwu, Ifeanyi Okechukwu, Patrick Chinedu Chukwujekwe, Ugboh Chibuzor, Monday Shedrack, Udochukwu Onuka, Ehighola Emmanuel Akhere, Godstime Osunde Oskpolor, Promise Onyugboh, Onuka Patrick, Aiwansoba Prince, Goddey Jeremiah, Ojimah John Oseni to two years imprisonment each or to pay N200, 000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine respectively, while the duo Chineye Isioma Christian and Uzodion Luke were sentenced to Three Years Imprisonmen each or to pay N200, 000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine respectively

Justice W.I. Aziegbemhin convicted and sentenced Uzorchukwu Peace Udoka, Erubasa Oghenetega, Ajayi Aisosa to two years imprisonment, each or to pay N200, 000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine respectively. The duo of David Ogwunu, Lucky Ehizojie were convicted and sentenced to Three Years Imprisonment each or to pay N500, 000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine respectively

In addition to their sentences, all the convicts forfeited their phones,

computers and money found in their respective bank accounts to the Federal Government of Nigeria,  being proceeds of crime.  They also undertook in writing to be of good behaviour henceforth.

The convicts’ journey to the Correctional Centre began with their arrest in a sting operation by operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC following intelligence that linked them to fraudulent internet activities.

Source: EFCC 

Governor Sim Fubara Secures Court Victory Over Wike, Tinubu 's State of Emergency as Federal High Court Orders Sole Administrator to Vacate River Government House

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt Tuesday ruled in favor of Rivers State Governor

Siminalayi Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and against the sole administrator imposed by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led APC federal government.

The court ordered the immediate removal of the Sole Administrator appointed by the President from the River State Government House.

In it's decision, the court gives the Tinubu-backed appointee 48 hours to vacate the premises, reaffirming Governor Fubara’s constitutional mandate as the duly elected leader of Rivers State.

The ruling, follows months of escalating political tensions between Governor Fubara and his estranged political godfather, former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. 

The political crisis intensified after the controversial appointment of a Sole Administrator by President Tinubu, which many legal experts and political observers deemed unconstitutional and a breach of democratic norms.

Justice Boma Diepriye, who presided over the case, ruled that the appointment of a Sole Administrator to oversee the affairs of a state with a sitting, democratically elected governor is “illegal, null, and void.”  Emphasizing that the Nigerian Constitution provides no room for such an appointment in a federating unit where a governor has neither been impeached nor incapacitated.

In his reaction to the judgment, Governor Fubara hailed the ruling as a “victory for democracy and the rule of law.” 

Speaking to a jubilant crowd of supporters outside the courthouse, he said, “The will of the people has once again triumphed over political manipulation and executive overreach. I remain committed to serving the good people of Rivers State without fear or favor.”

Meanwhile, legal representatives of the federal government are expected to file an appeal in the coming days, signaling that the political standoff may not be over yet.

Political analysts are calling the judgment a significant blow to the influence of Nyesom Wike, who has been accused by critics of using federal might to undermine his successor.

This decision not only reaffirms Sim Fubara's legitimacy but also sets a precedent in curbing excessive interference by the federal government in state matters.

As Rivers State awaits the departure of the embattled Sole Administrator, attention now turns to how this ruling will reshape the power dynamics in both the state and national political arenas.

EFCC Arrests 47 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Benin City

Operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 arrested 47 suspected internet fraudsters at different locations in Benin City, Edo State.

The suspects were arrested following credible intelligence that linked them to fraudulent internet activities.

Items recovered from them at the point of arrest included five exotic cars, smartphones and laptop computers.

They would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Source: EFCC 

EFCC Arrests 19 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Benin City

Operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Saturday April 12, 2025 arrested 19 suspected internet fraudsters at different locations within Benin City, Edo State.

The suspects were arrested based on credible intelligence that linked them to fraudulent internet activities.

Items recovered from them included five exotic cars and smartphones.

They would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Uromi Hunters and their hunting games at Ruwi; a tale of two killings

By Bolaji O. Akinyemi

The scriptural accounts of the murder of Abel, a livestock rancher, by Cain, a sibling and cropper, demonstrate how being a fugitive became the penal bane of murderers: Cain became a fugitive! In a similar vein, Moses who also committed murder became a fugitive; but his subsequent divine encounter will make him the receiver of the law of God that transmuted the punishment of murder from ‘fugitivity’ to blood for blood!
Thereafter, murderers were therefore not permitted to be forgiven by claims to repentance, nor should they be permitted to flee and escape judgement; they must be apprehended and made to pay for their criminal acts of murder according to the law of the land where the murder crime(s) were committed!
In the past 10 years, Nigeria has witnessed so much bloodshed from criminal gangster murders without a commensurate intervention of the Government vide its relevant agencies to bring murderers to book in order to pay for their criminal acts!
To wit, Thursday, 27th March 2025, was two days to the 73rd birthday anniversary of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as well as a scheduled Festival of Arts and Culture of the Ron ethnic people of Bokkos LGA in Plateau State. Curiously, at a session to mourn the demise of a matriarch, 16 Ron ethnic people including a fetus were killed by fulani gangsters.
The fateful date in question would mark a stark reality in which the fgn will contrast the treatment of its citizens by ethnicity largely based on the verdict of the judiciary in the Sunday Jackson litigation. The contrast crystallized on the next day of Friday, 28th March 2025 when an incident in Uromi allegedly involving 16 fulani ethnic people was reported. The news from Uromi portrayed the 16 victims of the incident as those said to be hunters in the forest of Port Harcourt.
Those hunters were said to be traveling with stacks of money, cutlasses and guns! they were reportedly stopped by the Uromi vigilantes, who on sighting arms and ammunition insisted on a thorough search of the travelers. Uncensored report said one of the men onboard brought out his knife and stabbed one of the vigilantes. Other vigilantes were thereafter forced to sound alarm that drew the attention of an irate mob who overpowered the 16 onboard persons and killed them.
What a brutality of a tale of two extra judicial killings successively within 24 hours in Ruwi on the night of 27th March 2025 and that of Uromi by the next day; the incident of Uromi attracted swift reaction from the fgn, the CDS & CAN while both authorities delivered no whimpers about the incident of Ruwi.
Regrettably, the Ruwi incident and its neglect is simply a foretelling of the entire Middle Belt Region of Nigeria as a hunting field of the Fulani herdsmen without consequences.
Data sourced from Statistis.com & my article on the “365 days of Muslim/Muslim ticket in Nigeria referenced a review of the security situation in Nigeria by United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, USCIRF. It confirmed that the Nigerian Government failed to verify the perpetrators of violent attacks and the motivation behind such carnage against Christians and other ethnic groups by the Fulani herdsmen who according to data provided by Intersociety killed 8,222 in 365 days.
When a goat is chased to the wall, it is left with the only option of fighting back. The same day the 16 Fulani were overpowered and killed in Uromi, their tribesmen had a successful killing expedition 11 Ron ethnic people the previous day at Ruwi.
While the Ron ethnic people were in a happy mood towards hosting their cultural festival, those who can’t stand seeing them happy, came attacking their reasons for happiness, consistently and continually at seasons of celebrations; either at Christmas or Easter but chose to show up again to smite the Ron people at the eve of Ron Cultural Festival. Unlike Uromi, where 16 Fulani herdsmen were killed, the Fulani herdsmen in Ruwi, slaughtered like Sallah rams just 11 “games,” including a fetus and an 8-year-old girl!
The sun that shone upon Uromi and Ruwi has exposed the hypocrisy of the fgn and CAN about our humanity; lack of responsibility of our government and its agencies. Our news media no longer represent the fourth estate of the realm; their pens no longer prick conscience. The dignity of humanity in Nigeria is graded by ethnic tribes and those who should care seem not to!
The President, without asking for the “cows” at Uromi, as his usual evidence of Fulani presence at the scene, has assured the world of justice to the FULANI victims and families of those killed and gave a marching order to the security agencies to go after the perpetrators and bring them to book. The voice of our President is yet to be heard on the extra judicial killing of his citizens like games in Ruwi and the slaughtering of a woman in the “forest” of Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State. Maybe because the President is waiting to see “cows” in Ruwi as evidence of the culpability of Fulani herdsmen. May the soul of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Chief Reuben Fasoranti, the friend of the president, Rest In Peace.
The NPF has provided incontrovertible facts that Fulani gangsters killed Mrs. Funke Olakunrin. Curiously, the killers of Mrs. Funke Olakunrin that is even a kinswoman of the president, have yet to face justice; unlike the case of Sunday Jackson that is being maliciously prosecuted by the kinsmen of the assailant. When the president visited the parents of the deceased on condolence, rather than words of empathy, he chose to ask for presence of “cows” as evidence that Fulani were the assailants.
Could the revealed gang of Fulani herdsmen be members of the taunted forest cell units of Fulani operation spread across the country and of the two regions of South-West and South-South and into Ogun, Ondo and Edo States, who left behind their cows to attend to their real mission. If the President could play politics with the murder of the daughter of his very dear friend, then Nigerians better be careful and pay close attention to words and actions of Mr President as the 2027 election approaches.
Since the “superior” Fulani ethnic people are allegedly the victim at Uromi, the assurance of the Commander in Chief has to be doubled by that of the Chief of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa, avowing justice for 16 Fulani travelers lynched in Uromi, but kept quiet on the 11 Ron ethnic people killed in their homeland by gangsters Fulani herdsmen!
Do all lives really matter in Nigeria? The poser is for the Nigerian Government and Nigerians, particularly CAN, (the Christian Association of Nigeria), whose members were hunted down at Ruwi but have failed to cry on their behalf. As for the federation president, the CDS and CAN president, the Ron Christians possibly must be ‘games in the forest of the Middle Belt’ like in the rest of the country!
CAN President who is a desperate sympathiser and advocate of Islam evidenced by his attendance at the dinner of the President and a mosque to break Ramadan fast. He has joined the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Chief of Defense Staff to mourn the death of the Fulani killed in Uromi but can’t find a word of comfort and assurance of safety for Christians murdered in Ruwi!
The CDS noted that the Uromi incident could have been avoided if the appropriate authorities had been notified and involved in verifying the identities of the victims. Ironically, the CDS brought us no word on the reported case of Istifanus Mangai, a Ron ethnic man, who was arrested and killed by the torture of “the appropriate authority” of the military at Daffo military base on the 31st December 2024 based on unproven accusations of a Fulani ethnic person. The extra judicial death of Istifanus Mangai in the hands of the military was aired to the world by the family cry from “ordinary Berekete radio” without a similar whimper of the CDS for justice to the family of the victim!
Though tribes and tongues may differ in Nigeria, when will all citizens, irrespective of tribes, tongues and religions be equal before the law and our political leaders? I hereby urge the global community to join me and the Ron ethnic people to demand an assurance of safety from the fgn, CAN and the Fulani herdsmen whose ‘games’ they have become. A word from the CDS on the fate of the kinsman of the Ron ethnic people, Istifanus Mangai, may help assure the American Government that other tribes in Nigeria are not just mere animals, whose lives can be cut at will by Fulani herdsmen hunters!
There should be no peace for all wicked men and women! This imbalance must be laid where it belongs; at the feet and doorsteps of British colonial imperialist who invaded the diverse territories of autochthonous ethnic peoples to create Nigeria and subsequently brokered a treaty with the “alien race” of Fulani to maintain their grips on Nigeria!




Dr Bolaji O. Akinyemi, is absolutely a commendable brand in Apostolic and Nation Building efforts towards a changed nation and a renewed and revived church, within the Nigeria Church and political ecosystem.

State of Emergency in Rivers: You cannot determine a two-thirds majority by a voice vote. - Peter Obi

The house of representatives has in a voice vote, approved the illegality of President Tinubu s proclamation of state of emergency in Rivers State where the elevated governor, his deputy and all the members of the state house of assembly were suspended.

H. E. Peter Obi said the National Assembly cannot determine a two-thirds majority by a voice vote.

There have been reports that his members of the National Assembly pocketed $25,000 each to ensure the passage of the state of emergency.

Obi who had earlier reached out to Labour Party members of the national assembly on the needs to avoid supporting the illegality of the Tinubu led APC presidency on state of emergency in Rivers State said the Constitution is clear that this cannot be done through a voice vote but by calling individuals to answer 'yes' or 'no.'

His words: "While still agonizing over the ongoing deterioration of democracy in our nation, especially with the situation in Rivers State, and trying to reach out to our National Assembly members not to support and sustain the unconstitutionality and arbitrariness, I just heard that they have added salt to injury by using a voice vote to pass the illegality ."

"The Constitution is clear that this cannot be done through a voice vote but by calling individuals to answer 'yes' or 'no.'"

"You cannot determine a two-thirds majority by a voice vote."

"While a two-thirds majority is crucial, it does not justify bypassing proper procedures and undermining the principles of transparency and accountability. "

"The use of a voice vote in such a significant decision not only disregards constitutional requirements but also erodes public trust in the democratic process as well as the transparency and integrity of the National Assembly . "

"Decisions of such magnitude must be made with integrity, following the letter and spirit of the law."

"It is disheartening that a decision as crucial as approving an emergency proclamation — one that could alter the course of the nation — has been  handled with such casual disregard for constitutional standards. "

'The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) clearly requires that such a proclamation must be approved by at least two-thirds of all members of each House — the Senate and the House of Representatives. "

"A simple call of "Aye" or "Nay" cannot accurately measure this crucial threshold."

"When a supermajority is required, it demands a recorded vote — whether by division, roll call, or electronic means. This isn't just a technicality; it's a matter of law and legitimacy. "

"The Senate Standing Orders and House Rules were established to ensure that decisions of this magnitude are made transparently, with accountability. "

"Ignoring these procedures is not just an oversight; it is a betrayal of the democratic process."

"A voice vote for such a critical matter is not just insufficient; it's a dangerous precedent. If we can bend the rules so easily, what stops us from undermining other pillars of democracy? 

"Today, it's a voice vote on a state of emergency — tomorrow, it could be a voice vote on citizens' fundamental rights."

"It is painful to think that members of the National Assembly, who swore to uphold the Constitution, could participate in a process that sidesteps the very essence of due process. "

"We must ask ourselves: If the law no longer anchors our decisions, then what does?

"This is not just a flawed procedure; it is a warning signal. "

"We cannot afford to keep gambling with the soul of our democracy." Obi said.

PRESIDENT TINUBU CANNOT LEGALLY REMOVE AN ELECTED GOVERNOR OF A STATE

BY

PROF MIKE A. A. OZEKHOME, SAN, CON, OFR, LL.D

 

INTRODUCTION

In an era where democracy is supposed to reign supreme giving democracy dividends to beleaguered Nigerians, the nation has once again found itself at crossroads, a sober moment of reckoning where constitutional order is being tested in the most brazen of ways. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, sworn to uphold the Constitution, has taken a most unprecedented and unlawful step: the suspension of a democratically elected Governor, Deputy Governor and an entire State House of Assembly under the thin guise of emergency rule. What emergency? Nigerians and Rivers people did not see or feel any such emergency. 

Let me be very firm most  categorically and unequivocally that no constitutional provision,statute or any known convention grants the President the imperial and dictatorial authority to single-handedly dissolve the structures of an elected state government.That may probably have been in the locust days of military juntas; but Nigeria is today not under the firm grip of a military dictatorship. The last time I checked, she is supposed to governed under a constitutional democracy that operates a presidential and republican form of government. The emergency provisions under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution exist to restore order only in times of grave national crisis; certainly not to topple duly elected state officials. Lois X1V of France as an absolute dictator could not have done better and would therefore green with envy from his cold grave,having on 13th April, 1655, stood in front of parliament and imperiously exuded," L'Etat C'est Moi" ("I am the State" ).A state of emergency does not and cannot translate to a civilian coup d’état, executed by executive fiat through a national broadcast which torpedoed elected structures and whimsically imposed a sole Administrator who would now illegally receive Rivers State allocations from the Federation account under section 162 of the Constitution contrary to the very judgement of the Supreme Court which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu pretended to be executing.We have seen this script play out before during the infamous 2004 Plateau State emergency, where former President Obasanjo suspended Governor Dariye in what was widely condemned as a travesty of constitutional governance. Then, as now, the excuse was “exceptional circumstances"; but the reality was nothing short of executive lawlessness and overreach masked as national interest.I had criticized it in the same way I also criticized those of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan 

And now, as Rivers State stands at the centre of this unfolding simulated constitutional debacle, one must ask: Is this the signal of a dangerous precedent for and kite-flying to Nigeria, of a looming maximum dictatorship in the offing in a one-party State? Will other “erring” Governors who refuse to align with the central government be next in line? Are we witnessing the return of a

dangerous era of impunity where emergency rule becomes the bludgeon of political control rather than a tool for stability?

PROF MIKE A. A. OZEKHOME

Let me be very clear about this for historical purposes: President Tinubu clearly lacks the power,authority and vires to suspend democratic structures, especially the removal of Governor Sim Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly members. His act constitutes nothing but a gross constitutional aberration and a most illegal, unlawful, wrongful and unconscionable step that has the potential of imploding Nigeria at large and Rivers State in particular.The Constitution must stand hallowed, unassaulted,or democracy will fall and perish. Although time shall tell,but time is certainly not on our side. 

 

THE CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR A STATE OF EMERGENCY

The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, at page 379, defines “Declaration” as an official or formal statement, especially about the plans of a Government or an organization; the act of making such a statement.

Declaration or proclamation of a state of emergency therefore means proclaiming or making known a situation of emergency. What does “emergency” itself mean?

Emergency Doctrine is variously referred to as “emergency”, “imminent peril” or “sudden peril” Doctrine [Black’s Law Dictionary, 6th Edition, Page 523)

A “state of emergency” is defined in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (P.1620) as

“when a government gives itself special powers in order to try to control an unusually difficult or dangerous situation, especially when this involves limiting people’s freedom”

“Emergency powers” are such powers as are conferred on a Government during such an unusual situation to hold the state together.

The Constitution  in Section 305, of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered (the organic law and grund norm of the land) embraces three adjuncts of a declaration of a state of emergency:  (1)  Reasons for proclaiming it;  (2)  How it is proclaimed;  (3)  How it can be halted both before and after its proclamation. It also envisages two types of State of Emergency: (i) By Mr. President under Section 305 (3) (a) and (b), when the Federation is at War; or the Federation is in imminent danger of invasion or involvement in a state of war. (ii) The scenario where it is the Governor of a State who personally calls for the state of emergency under situations envisaged in Section 305 (3) (c), (d) and (e). This occurs where the threat does not extend beyond the boundaries of the State.

Section 305 of the 199 Constitution, as altered, provides:

1) “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the President may by instrument published in the Official Gazette of the Government of the Federation issue a Proclamation of a state of emergency in the Federation or any part thereof.

2) The President shall immediately after the publication, transmit copies of the Official Gazette of the Government of the Federation containing the proclamation including the details of the emergency to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, each of whom shall forthwith convene or arrange for a meeting of the House of which he is President or Speaker, as the case may be, to consider the situation and decide whether or not to pass a resolution approving the Proclamation.”

None of the factors envisaged in Section 305 of the Constitution has occurred at all to warrant the steps taken by the president. In present scenario the bi-camera National Assembly had not even first met,discussed and approved the president's emergency proposals before he acted. He did it in advance ( in futuro) in expectation of rubber-stamping by a pliable and malleable NASS.I hereby call on the NASS to show class for once by roundlly rejecting the President’s unconstitutional  act of first declaring a state of emergency before its approval and also for acting altra vires by accompanying it with the suspension of elected democratic structures. This will place them on the right path of history.Otherwise,they should be prepared to be damnified by history. 

I must emphasize that the declaration of a state of emergency does not translate into a dissolution of governance structures within the affected state. Under a state of emergency, the Governor, as the chief executive of the state, remains in office,whilst the institutions of government at the state level continue to function,unless expressly provided otherwise by law.There is no such law in Rivers State or at the national level. 

The framers of the 1999 Constitution were deliberate in ensuring that the power to declare a state of emergency is not an avenue for executive overreach or imperious excursion into the realm of narcissm or ego trip. While the President may take extraordinary measures to maintain peace and order, those measures must align with the provisions of the Constitution. There is no provision howsoever, express or implied, that allowed President Tinubu to remove a sitting Governor and state House of Assembly legislators under the thin  guise of emergency powers. There is no war in Nigeria. There is no threat of external aggression or invasion either across the country or in Rivers State. All that we have seen have been tussle for power between the Governor and the House of Assembly and the courts had already waded in with the Governor declaring he would comply with the Supreme Court's judgement.A mere blow  up of oil pipes in two communities by unidentified persons certainly does not constitute a war or external invasion situation.

 

THE PRINCIPLE OF SEPARATION of POWERS AND FEDERALISM 

Nigeria operates a federal system of government, which means that power is divided and shared between the federal, state and Local Government Areas.governments. This structure is designed to prevent excessive concentration of power in any one level of government,for as Lord Acton once explained, "power tends to corrups and absolute power corrupts absolutely". The President’s authority over the states is limited, just as a Governor cannot interfere with presidential functions at the federal level.

Furthermore, the principle of separation of powers, a cornerstone of constitutional democracy as ablly propounded in 1748 by a great French philosopher, Baron de Montesquieu,ensures that no single branch of government has unchecked authority. The removal of a Governor is a matter strictly within the purview of the State House of Assembly, as stipulated under Section 188 of the Constitution. The process is quite detailed, lengthy and rigorous; and requires a legislative super majority to accomplish. It is not a power and prerogative the President can usurp and exercise as did President Tinubu, regardless of the circumstances.

 

CAN THE PRESIDENT SUSPEND OR REMOVE A SITTING GOVERNOR, DEPUTY GOVERNOR, OR HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY EVEN UNDER A STATE OF EMERGENCY?

Nigeria stands at a critical juncture in its democratic evolution. Recent developments in Rivers State, where President Bola Ahmed Tinubu purportedly suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy, and the entire House of Assembly, call for a meticulous constitutional examination and analysis. At the heart of this matter lies an age-old question: Can the President, under the guise of emergency rule, lawfully suspend or remove a democratically elected Governor, Deputy Governor, or Legislature?

The answer, based on constitutional provisions, legal precedents and the very principles of federalism which we operate, is an unequivocal NO. The 1999  Nigerian Constitution (as amended) does not, under any circumstance, empower the President to remove, suspend, or torpedo duly elected state officials even under Section 305, which governs the declaration of a state of emergency.

 

THE CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITS OF EMERGENCY POWERS 

In no place does Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution grant the President the power to suspend a Governor, Deputy Governor, or the State House of Assembly. This reality is backed by constitutional jurisprudence and was reaffirmed in Attorney-General of Abia State v. Attorney-General of the Federation (2002) 6 NWLR (Pt. 763) 265, where the Supreme Court clarified that the Constitution is supreme and that no authority including the President can act outside its provisions.

Yet, this is not the first time that Nigeria has witnessed an outright abuse of emergency powers. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s 2004 suspension of Plateau State’s Governor Joshua Dariye and the House of Assembly remains a painful reminder of how emergency provisions have been misused to subvert democratic structures.

That unconstitutional precedent, which many Nigerians condemned then as  executive overreach reminiscent of military juntas, appears to have resurfaced in Rivers State where President Tinubu’s action has eerily followed that same better-forgotten pattern, with the Judiciary left untouched as a token concession to constitutionalism. But can democracy survive when two out of the three arms of government are arbitrarily dissolved? I believe not.

 

FEDERALISM, SEPARATION OF POWERS, AND THE ROLE OF STATE GOVERNMENTS 

Nigeria operates a federal system, meaning that power is distributed between the central and state governments, as explicitly outlined in Sections 4, 5, and 11 of the 1999 Constitution. Under this system, a Governor is not an apron string of or mere extension of the Presidency. He is  an independently elected authority answerable to no one but only the people of his state who elected him.

The Constitution does not permit a President to unilaterally whimsically and arbitrarily remove a Governor—not by fiat; not by emergency decree; and certainly not by mere executive pronouncement. The doctrine of separation of powers, a fundamental pillar of democracy, dictates that such removals must be carried out strictly in accordance with constitutional provisions.

This principle was reinforced in Attorney-General of Ogun State & Ors v. Attorney-General of the Federation & Ors (1982) 3 NCLR 583, where the Supreme Court ruled that the Federal Government cannot unilaterally impose duties or restrictions on state officials. This means that even if a state of emergency is lawfully declared, the Governor remains in office unless impeached through due process.

The Constitution provides only one legal pathway for the removal of a state Governor, and that is through impeachment, as stipulated in Section 188 of the Constitution. The process is legislative, not executive, requiring a State House of Assembly to initiate and conduct impeachment proceedings as dictated by the Constitution. In any event, the Rivers State House of Assembly ( whether rightly or wrongly) had already commenced one against the Governor. Why truncate the constitutional process through an unconstitutional executive fiat? Why? Why?? Why???

 

THE PUBLIC ORDER ACT AND THE LIMITS OF FEDERAL CONTROL 

Some have sought,in most illogical and unscholarly manner, to justify the President’s emergency intervention in Rivers State under the masquerade and facade of maintaining public safety. They cite the Public Order Act, which grants state Governors powers over public assemblies, meetings, and processions. However, even this statute does not authorize the suspension of an entire government structure.

The irony, of course, is that while Governors are designated as the Chief Security Officers of their states, they lack actual control over security forces. Section 215 of the Constitution subordinates a State Commissioner of Police to the Inspector General of Police and the President, meaning that even if Rivers State were  experiencing insecurity, it was ultimately to the same traducing Federal Governmen it would have turned to.

The absurdity of this power imbalance,even though Rivers State had not gotten there, was noted in Attorney-General of Abia State v. Attorney-General of the Federation (2002) 6 NWLR (Pt. 763) 264, where the Court observed that the Federal Government cannot pass the blame for state security failures to a Governor who lacks the constitutional means to deploy security personnel.

 

THE ROLE OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: A CONSTITUTIONAL FIREWALL?

Even if the National Assembly, sought to legislate on emergency rule, section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution explicitly prohibits it from removing a Governor or Deputy Governor. This means that not only does the President lack the power, but even the National Assembly itself is equally barred from such unconstitutional act.

Prof. Ben Nwabueze, one of Nigeria’s foremost constitutional scholars, had long warned that allowing a President to wield unchecked emergency powers would erode democracy and lead to an authoritarian system where Governors served as vassals at the pleasure of the President rather than the electorate.

In line with this reasoning, Chief F.R.A. Williams had condemned the Plateau State emergency declaration as “a contradiction of all known principles of true federation operating in a democratic society.” Are we not now witnessing history repeat itself in Rivers State?

 

THE PRINCIPLE OF EXPRESSIO UNIUS EST EXCLUSIO ALTERIUS

One of the most fundamental principles of statutory interpretation is expressio unius est exclusio alterius, meaning that the explicit mention of one thing implies the exclusion of all others. Sections 4 and 5 of the 1999 Constitution donate specific executive and legislative powers; but nowhere do they mention any inherent powers allowing the President to remove Governors undemocratically.

This principle was applied in Attorney-General of Bendel State v. Aideyan (1989) 4 NWLR (Pt. 118) 187, where the Supreme Court held that powers not expressly granted by the Constitution cannot be assumed. Thus, any claim that the President possesses inherent emergency powers to remove a supposedly erring Governor is legally baseless.The President can not dorn the garb of a Primary School headmaster who has absolute control over and supervises his pupils

 HOW A GOVERNOR MAY BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE 

If Not the President, then who can remove a Governor under emergency rule? The answer remains the State House of Assembly as the only body constitutionally empowered to initiate impeachment proceedings against an erring Governor.

Under Section 188, impeachment is a rigorous and multi-step process, requiring:

a.. A written notice signed by at least one-third of Assembly members;

b. A two-thirds majority vote to proceed further;

c. The formation of an investigative panel by the state Chief Judge;

d. A full blown hearing granting the Governor a right to defence either by himself or through a counsel of his choice;

e. A final two-thirds majority vote for removal after thorough hearing, recommendations, etc.

If a Governor remains in office, it is because the State House of Assembly has not found legal grounds for removal. The President’s personal opinions, political considerations, or security concerns do not change this constitutional scenario. 

 

ANY HISTORICAL PRECEDENT FOR RIVERS STATE?

The declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State and the subsequent suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy, and the State House of Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brings Nigeria into another moment of constitutional crisis and democratic reckoning. While this may appear to be a novel occurrence, history reminds us that this is not the first time a Nigerian President had wielded emergency powers in a manner that undermined the very very essence of democracy.

Emergency rule in Nigeria has precedents, but each instance had always been marred by legal controversy, constitutional breaches and political opportunism. The most striking parallel to Tinubu’s action in Rivers State can be drawn from the 2004 Plateau State emergency declared by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. In that case, Obasanjo had suspended the Governor and the State House of Assembly, replacing them with a Sole Administrator, Major-General Chris Alli (Rtd.). That action was roundly criticized as an overreach of executive power, much like what is unfolding today in Rivers State. I was one of the critics. 

However, even further back in Nigeria’s history, the Western Region crisis of 1962 under the First Republic presents another instructive example. Under the 1960 Independence Constitution, the then Governor-General, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, acting on the advice of Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa, had declared a state of emergency in the Western Region due to political turmoil. Balewa had removed the Premier, the Governor, all Ministers, and members of the Regional Assembly, installing Dr. Moses Majekodunmi as Sole Administrator.

The striking difference, however, is that this took place under a Westminster parliamentary system, where Parliament held sovereignty. In contrast, Nigeria’s current presidential system operates under constitutional supremacy, not parliamentary supremacy. The framers of the 1999 Constitution deliberately excluded any provision that would allow such sweeping executive powers, particularly those that could enable a President to remove a sitting Governor or dissolve a State House of Assembly under emergency rule.

 

WHY TINUBU ’S EMERGENCY RULE IN RIVERS STATE IS UNPRECEDENTED 

Even within the history of emergency rule declarations, Tinubu’s action in Rivers State is particularly alarming. While previous Presidents who declared emergency rule (Balewa in 1962 and Obasanjo in 2004) did so under questionable legal interpretations, they at least had some statutory backing, however flimsy.

Tinubu, on the other hand, has no legal foundation whatsoever to suspend an elected Governor, Deputy Governor, or the State House of Assembly. There is no enabling law, no precedent under the 1999 Constitution, and no Supreme Court ruling that grants the President such sweeping powers.

The 1999 Constitution, as amended, is as clear as a whistle that section 305 which grants the President powers to declare a state of emergency does not provide for the removal or suspension of an elected Governor.

Section 11(4) explicitly denies even the National Assembly the power to remove a Governor under emergency rule; meaning it certainly cannot authorize the President to do so.

The principle of federalism, which underpins Nigeria’s governance structure, dictates that Governors derive their mandate directly from the people and not from the President.

 

WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF THIS PRECEDENT IS ALLOWED TO STAND?

One of the most dangerous aspects of President Tinubu’s action is the precedent it sets for the future of democracy in Nigeria. If a President can wake up one morning and, under the guise of an emergency, remove a Governor and dissolve the State Legislature, what prevents the same President or future Presidents from doing the same in other states?

In fact, if the logic of this unconstitutional action is stretched further, it raises an even more disturbing possibility:

What if a President wakes up tomorrow and declares an emergency in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)? The Constitution recognizes the FCT as a state.

Could the President then suspend the Senate and the House of Representatives that supervise the FCT and appoint himself as Sole Administrator of the FCT and Federal Republic of Nigeria?

These hypothetical scenarios, once dismissed as absurd,l in my earlier  research have now become real threats when constitutional violations are left unchallenged and unchecked.

 

 

PRESIDENT TINUBU ’S ATTEMPT TO RELY ON NONEXISTENT EMERGENCY LAWS 

To compound the legal crisis, Tinubu’s government seeks to justify its actions by invoking emergency regulations that do not exist in Nigeria’s current legal framework. The 1961 Emergency Powers Act, which was made pursuant to Section 65(1) of the 1960 Constitution, is no longer in force. That law had allowed the Governor-General to make sweeping regulations, including appointing an Administrator, restricting fundamental rights, and even suspending state governments.

However, this law ceased to have effect long ago. When Nigeria transitioned from the Westminster system to the presidential system in 1979, the framers of the Constitution deliberately omitted any provision that could allow such broad emergency powers.

The Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990,provide a clear confirmation: the 1961 Emergency Powers Act is described as “omitted; spent”. This means that it has since been consigned to the vehicle of historical oblivion  and cannot be resurrected to justify Tinubu’s current unconstitutional acts.

 

A CLOSING CAVEAT: THE PERILOUS PRECEDENT OF TINUBU’S EMERGENCY RULE IN RIVERS STATE

Not a few Nigerians have argued quite plausibly, too, that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State and the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy, and the State House of Assembly was not purely a matter of law and order, but an act driven by political expediency and personal indignation.

The President finds himself presiding over a nation teetering on the brink economic hardship, rising insecurity, public angst,and deep-seated political fractures. Yet, rather than confront these crises headlong with statesmanship, his administration appears to be flexing emergency powers in a manner that raises more questions than it answers. If Rivers State warranted emergency rule, why then have states like Zamfara and Niger where armed bandits and insurgents have reduced governance to an afterthought not received the same treatment?

Even the most ardent defenders of Tinubu’s emergency Decree ( for a Decree it is in reality) must pause and ask: Is Rivers State the greatest threat to national stability, or is it merely the most convenient political battleground? If emergency rule in Rivers was truly about law and order, why was a hand-picked Administrator imposed while duly elected officials were unceremoniously suspended from office? Is this about democratic governance, or is it about power and control?

If Nigeria remains a constitutional democracy, then the same Constitution must apply to all, irrespective of political affiliation or convenience. If Tinubu’s draconian action in Rivers State is allowed to stand, it sets a dangerous precedent where emergency powers become a tool for political suppression and repression rather than a last resort for genuine intractable crises.

So, the question remains: Is this the Nigeria we want or deserve? Or shall we, in our studied silence, watch democracy dismantled piecemeal with onevemergency declaration at a time? History will surely judge us all.

State of Emergency in Rivers State: Do not participate, support any action, decision, or vote that compromises integrity of our democracy, Peter Obi tells LP Legislators

The Labour Party Presidential flag bearer in the 2023 general elections Mr Peter Obi has called on the members of the national assembly who are of the Labour Party not participate in or support any action, decision, or vote that compromises the integrity of our democracy, undermines the interests of the people of Rivers State, or contradicts our core values of fairness, equity, and transparency.

It should be recalled that President Bola Hamed Tinubu yesterday declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspended the elected governor of the state Sim Fabura, his deputy and all the members of the state assembly of Rivers State.

The political crises in Rivers State was fueled by the Tinubu led APC presidency.

Meanwhile, despite the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State, absolute two third majority of the legislative members in both the Senate and house of representatives are still required by the constitution to enable it passed. Obi has therefore asked members of the national who won their seats on the platform of the Labour Party to refrain from voting in favour or support the state of emergency declared by president Bola Tinubu.

Peter Obi via his verified social media handles wrote:

My dear brothers and sisters,

Members of the Labour Party in the National Assembly,

Since your inauguration as Distinguished, and Honorable members of the National Assembly, I have refrained from interfering in your legislative affairs out of respect for your independence and to allow you to focus on alleviating the suffering of the Nigerian people.

However, at this critical juncture — following 26 years of a deteriorating democratic process marked by disregard for educational qualifications for electoral positions, massive rigging, and now the unconstitutional removal of elected officeholders — I find it necessary to address you. These unconstitutional actions have far-reaching negative implications for our democracy and the will of the people.

I urge you to stand as true defenders of justice. Do not participate in or support any action, decision, or vote that compromises the integrity of our democracy, undermines the interests of the people of Rivers State, or contradicts our core values of fairness, equity, and transparency.

We must not allow ourselves to become instruments of injustice or contribute to the betrayal of the people's mandate. At this moment, we must prioritize what is right over what is wrong or convenient, remaining steadfast in defending the well-being of the people of Rivers State.

Together, let us stand firm in our resolve — because a new Nigeria is possible!

- PO

JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE BY CONCERNED LEADERS AND POLITICAL STAKEHOLDERS IN NIGERIA ON THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU

 

Fellow Nigerians,

We are a cross-section of leaders and political stakeholders from across the country. We have come together to address the dangerous and unconstitutional actions taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on March 18, 2025—to wit, the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State and the illegal suspension of the democratically elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and the State House of Assembly. 

This action is not only unlawful but also a clear subversion of democracy and imposition of autocratic federal control over a duly elected state government. We strongly condemn this development and call on all Nigerians of good conscience to resist this brazen assault on the constitution of our country and the institutions of our democracy. 

Mr President’s illegal and unconstitutional proclamation was presumably driven by the protracted insidious political crisis in Rivers State, which culminated in the recent ruling of the Supreme Court. Naturally, we expected all parties to the dispute to follow laid-down procedures, and in good faith, to promptly implement the judgment of the highest court of the land. We note that despite provocative statements and belligerent attitude of his opponents, Governor Fubara had demonstrated goodwill and appeared disposed to the implementation of the ruling of the Supreme Court. 

However, rather than rise above the fray, the president yielded to petty favouritism and betrayed the oath that he solemnly swore to before God and man, which was to “do right to all manner of people, according to law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.” If president Tinubu had conveniently disguised his true intentions in the past, his broadcast to the nation on 18th March 2025 betrayed his bias and fell far below the standard of comportment expected from his exalted office. 

The Constitutional Violations

1. Illegal Removal of a Governor and State Assembly

Without any doubts, the Nigerian Constitution does not empower the President to remove an elected Governor, Deputy Governor, or State Assembly under any circumstances. The procedure for removing a Governor is clearly outlined in Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) through an impeachment process initiated by the State House of Assembly—not by presidential proclamation or arbitrary pronouncement.

2. Misuse of Section 305 on State of Emergency

Section 305 of the Constitution allows the President to declare a State of Emergency only in extreme cases where public safety, national security, or Nigeria’s sovereignty is at serious risk. However, it does not grant him the power to suspend elected officials or to demolish democratic structures as he has brazenly done.

Furthermore, Section 305(1) states that any proclamation of emergency is subject to the provisions of the Constitution—meaning it cannot override the tenure and removal procedures of a Governor.

3. Failure to Meet Constitutional Requirements for Emergency Rule

The conditions under Section 305(3) for declaring a state of emergency include:

 War or external aggression

 Breakdown of public order and safety

 Natural disasters or any other grave emergency threatening Nigeria’s corporate existence

None of these conditions exist in current circumstances in Rivers State. There is no war, no widespread violence, and no breakdown of law and order warranting emergency declaration.

4. Failure to Follow Due Process

Even if an emergency declaration were valid (which it is not), it would still require a two-thirds majority approval of ALL members of the National Assembly—that is, at least, 72 Senators and 240 members of the House of Representatives. If this approval is not secured, the proclamation must automatically cease to have effect.

5. Alternative Legal Avenues Were Ignored

If the issue was the dysfunction of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the President could have encouraged the National Assembly to intervene under Section 11 of the Constitution. However, even under such an intervention, the Governor and Deputy Governor cannot be removed by any arm of government except through constitutional means, as the proviso to S. 11(4) clearly provides.

A Manufactured Crisis for Political Control

This State of Emergency declaration is not about security—it is about power grabbing and control. The disagreements within Rivers State stem from the defection of 27 Assembly members from the PDP to the APC, their loss of seats under constitutional provisions, and the subsequent political manoeuvring to undermine the Governor’s mandate.

Rather than allowing the law to take its course, the federal government has engineered a crisis to justify this obviously premeditated and brazenly cynical unconstitutional action. We find the federal government’s excuse of pipeline vandalism quite untenable and even laughable. The security of national infrastructure falls squarely under the responsibilities of federal security agencies and privately contracted security firms. If this issue has to do with breach of security in whatever form, the question that should naturally be asked are: Who controls the police, the military, and the DSS? The Governor or the President?

Our Demand and Call to Action

1. Immediate Reversal: We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately revoke this unconstitutional proclamation and reinstate the elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and State Assembly of Rivers State.

2. National Assembly's Rejection: We call on patriotic Senators and Representatives to vote against this illegal action when it comes before them for approval. The National Assembly must stand on the right side of history and not allow itself to be used to legitimise an unconstitutional power grab.

3. Judicial Intervention: We urge the judiciary to act swiftly in striking down this proclamation, as it sets a dangerous precedent that could be used to arbitrarily remove any Governor in the future.

4. Nigerians Must Defend Democracy: We call on all civil society organisations, political groups, and Nigerians of good conscience to stand firm in the defence of this democracy that we have all toiled to build. Rivers State is not a conquered territory, and Nigeria is not a dictatorship requiring the replacement of an ELECTED GOVERNOR with a MILITARY ADMINISTRATOR. We recall that even when a previous administration had declared a state of emergency in parts of the country bedevilled by insurgency and acts of terrorism, the governors of the concerned states were not removed from office as this administration has done. This action, by President Tinubu therefore represents a new low for our country. 

Conclusion

The historical unrest in the Niger Delta should not be forgotten so soon. Past administrations had made great efforts and sacrifices to restore peace and stability to the Niger Delta, which is critical to the economic health and stability of Nigeria itself. This federal government should not manufacture political crises that could disrupt the fragile stability and return the country to the past that we have all prayed to leave behind for good.

We must never allow personal political interests and the desire to hold on to power at all costs to throw the country into unavoidable chaos through brazen subversion of the principles of federalism, democracy, and constitutional governance. This is not just about Rivers State—it is about the future of Nigeria’s democracy.

We thank you all.

Thursday, 20th March, 2025

The Tinubu-led Federal Government should restore elected officials in Rivers State - Mallam Nasir El-Rufai

Former Governor of Kaduna State Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has called on the Bola Hamed Tinubu led APC federal government to restore elected officials in Rivers State.

According to the SDP Chieftain, there are things that are so clearly wrong that the justifications summoned in their defence fall flat. The decision of Mr. President to suspend the elected officials of the Rivers State Government is one of those.

El-Rufai said, our country’s Constitution does not support it precisely because it is dangerous to our system of democratic federalism for an elected president to assume and exercise powers to suspend elected officials at the State level. The responsibilities of a president are heavy and extensive, but they are constrained by the Constitution and the law and certainly do not include firing persons who were elected.

The security issues cited in the President’s speech surely deserve the most serious attention and sustained efforts to contain the threats and preserve vital national infrastructure. That is a duty that we ought to vigorously support the security agencies to successfully discharge. A state of emergency could surely have been proclaimed to grant the relevant security agencies the extraordinary powers and necessary resources to enable them to address the problem. Extending the provisions of such an emergency regime to include the dismantling of democratic structures is a wanton aggression against democratic tenets and the rule of law. The Supreme Court has conclusively declared the suspension of elected officials unlawful in the Dariye vs.Attorney General of the Federation. 

It is my view that Mr. President should review this decision and return to the path of constitutionalism and the rule of law. As an opposition figure, Senator Bola Tinubu had made his voice heard against the decision of then President Goodluck Jonathan to declare a state of emergency in the North-East, even when that decision did not extend to the suspension of elected officials and institutions. A similar reconsideration is warranted in this case to contain the damage done to the people of Rivers State, and restore the Federal Government to compliance with the Constitution.

Let us not keep silent while the slippery slope of replicating the events of emergency rule in the old Western Region in 1962 unfold before our very eyes. I appeal to all patriots and voices of reason to join in calling an end to this gross violation of the Constitution and disrespect for the rule of law. He said.

State of Emergency in Rivers, Tinubu Led Presidency behind Pipeline Vandalism

There's full blown terrorism in the middle belt, zamfara, katsina, sokoto, the North East yet no state of emergency but as soon as two pipelines where blown up Tinubu imposed State of emergency in Rivers State. 

The speed with which they moved to make the declaration when they have not considered the same thing in states facing real security threats is obvious that this move was pre-meditated. 

How come Wike the trouble maker didn't get suspended or sacked but only the governor who's only crime is refusing to be a puppet. 

And as soon as Tinubu illegally suspended the governor he appoints Wike & Akpabio's friend as administrator. 

Are you still wondering who actually blew up those pipelines? 

Okay ask yourself who benefits the most from all these madness. BAT & Wike of course. 

Wike gets to do whatever he wants in Rivers State with the administrator and may yet force Fubara to cower to him. 

Tinubu gets to make more money by Nigeria depending more on his Malta refinery driving up the price of petrol and sabotaging Dangote's refinery in Nigeria and causing more hardship for Nigerian's.

Also this will please his Western masters who see Dangote's refinery as a threat to their operations in the Nigerian oil industry.

Now you should know who was behind the bombing of those pipelines. Yes it's the same people who imposed the state of emergency in Rivers State. 

They don't even care about the security and economic implications of all these which may yet backfire on them. We have security challenges and our armed forces are spread thing already now they want to open a new war front in the Niger Delta which they know very well they can't handle and when Nigerian's decide to revolt they'll not be enough military men to protect them. 

Only a generational change in leadership will end the country's woes 

Source: Social media

PRESS RELEASE: SPEECH FROM FUBARA AFTER THE DECLARATION

 

My dear Rivers People,

I address you today with a deep sense of responsibility and calm, as we navigate this unfortunate moment in our state’s political history. 

Since assuming office as your Governor, all my actions and decisions have been guided by my constitutional oath of office and a great sense of duty.

We prioritized the protection of lives and property and ensured the continuous progress of our dear State. 

Even in the face of the political impasse, we have remained committed to constitutional order and the rule of law, putting the interest of our people above all else.

This was why, immediately after Mr. President’s intervention to broker peace, we did not hesitate to implement the agreed terms in good faith, including welcoming back commissioners who had previously resigned on their own volition. 

Furthermore, we moved swiftly to comply with the Supreme Court's judgement immediately we received the certified true copy of the judgement to return the state to normalcy. 

These steps were taken not for personal gains but to foster peace, unity and stability in our dear State.

Unfortunately, at every turn, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly frustrated our efforts, thus making genuine peace and progress difficult.

Our priorities remained the security of lives and property and advancing the well-being and prosperity of Rivers people. 

Yes, we have political disagreements, but good governance had continued, salaries have been paid, and great projects were being executed to move the State forward. Above all, Rivers State is safe, secure and peaceful under our watch.

At this critical time, I urge all Rivers people to remain peaceful and law-abiding. We will engage with all relevant institutions to ensure that our democracy remains strong and that Rivers State continues to thrive.

We have always been a resilient people, and we will face this situation with wisdom, patience, and unwavering faith in the democratic process.

God bless Rivers State. 

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS

Tinubu declares A State Of Emergency in Rivers State , Appoints Nyesom Wike's Alley Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas As Sole administrator

Following the presidency sponsored protracted crises in Rivers State in which a cabinet member and Minister of FCT Nyesom Wikhas been the mastermind of the entire political unrest, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending the Governor and his deputy as well as state house of assembly members for the period of six months, appoints Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas as a sole administrator for the state.

During his tenure as Naval Chief (2015–2021), Ibas worked closely with Nyesom Wike’s administration to combat piracy, oil bunkering, and militancy in Rivers’ volatile creeks. 

Key collaborations includes, Operation Delta Safe, Joint military-police ops to secure oil installations, Intelligence Sharing, Naval support for Wike’s crackdowns on IPOB and cult gangs, Port Security,  Enhanced patrols at Onne Port, a critical oil export hub.

Text of the Broadcast by Bola Tinubu 

Meet The New Administrator Of Rivers State

Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, born on September 27, 1960, in Nko, Cross River State, Nigeria, is a distinguished Nigerian naval officer and diplomat. He served as the 22nd Chief of Naval Staff of the Nigerian Navy from July 2015 until his retirement in January 2021. In recognition of his exemplary service, he was appointed as Nigeria's Ambassador to Ghana in 2021.

Educational Background and Naval Training:

Ibas commenced his primary education at Nko Primary School and completed it at Big Qua Primary School, Calabar, in 1971. He attended Hope Waddell Training Institute from 1972 to 1976 and the School of Basic Studies, Ogoja, between 1977 and 1979. His naval career began at the Nigerian Defence Academy on June 20, 1979, as part of the 26th Regular Course, leading to his commission as a sub-lieutenant on January 1, 1983.

Throughout his career, Ibas pursued advanced military education, including:

- Sub-Lieutenant Technical Course at INS Venduruthy, India (1983-1984)

- Primary Pilot Training at the 301 Primary Flying Training School, Nigerian Air Force Base, Kaduna (1986-1987)

- Junior Staff Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji (1990)

- Diploma in Amphibious Warfare from the U.S. Marine Corps University, Quantico, Virginia (1992-1993)

- Underwater Warfare specialization at the Underwater Warfare School, NNS Quorra (1994-1995)

- Senior Staff Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji (1996-1997)

- National Defence Course at the National Defence College, Islamabad, Pakistan, earning a master's degree in defense and strategic studies from Quaid-i-Azam University (2005-2006)

Naval Career Highlights:

Ibas held numerous key positions within the Nigerian Navy, including:

- Executive Officer on NNS Siri, NNS Ekun, and NNS Ambe

- Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Navy Underwater Warfare School (1997-1998)

- Commander of the Forward Operating Base Ibaka (1998-2000)

- Directing Staff at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji (2000-2002)

- Naval Provost Marshal (2003-2004)

- Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of Naval Staff (2004-2005)

EFCC Arrests 30 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Asaba, Delta State

Operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday March 14, 2025 arrested 30 suspected internet fraudsters in Asaba, Delta State.

The suspects were arrested based on credible intelligence on their alleged involvement in internet-related fraud.

Items recovered from them at the point of arrest include five exotic cars and phones

The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Source: EFCC 

EFCC Gets Supreme Court’s Nod to Probe Peter Odili’s Tenure

Odili

In a landmark ruling on Monday, March 10, 2025, the Supreme Court of Nigeria dismissed appeals filed by the Attorney General of Rivers State and the Speaker of the State’s House of Assembly against the leave granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, by the Court of Appeal to contest an order of perpetual injunction of Federal High Court, Port Harcourt that barred the Commission from investigating Dr. Peter Odili's tenure as governor of the state.

The dismissal by a five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice John Okoro effectively cleared the pathway for the Commission to investigate Dr. Odili’s eight year rule of the oil-rich state and brought to an end EFCC’s long-standing legal battle to probe the administration.

The legal dispute took off in 2007 when Odili, who served as Rivers State governor from 1999 to 2007, obtained an order of perpetual injunction from the Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt barring the EFCC from investigating, arresting, or prosecuting Odili, as well as prohibiting the anti-graft agency from examining the finances of the Rivers State Government during his tenure. Though the EFCC has contested the injunction since 2008, the order has effectively shielded Odili from any scrutiny by the Commission for nearly two decades.

In 2018, the Court of Appeal granted the EFCC’s request for leave to appeal the Federal High Court’s decision, which prompted the Attorney General of Rivers State and the Speaker of the State’s House of Assembly to file separate appeals at the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the appellate court’s decision.

On March 10, 2025, the Supreme Court convened to hear the appeal filed by the litigants, marked SC/CV/318/2018. During the proceedings, Justice Okoro questioned the substance of the case, noting that the appeal was interlocutory in nature. The litigants’s lawyer, S. A. Somiari, SAN, argued that the appeal challenged the leave granted by the Court of Appeal for the EFCC to appeal the 2007 injunction. Justice Okoro, however, interjected, stating, “This is not the type of appeal we hear here,” and advised the parties to return to the Court of Appeal to have the substantive appeal heard before approaching the Supreme Court.

Recognizing the court’s position, Somiari applied to withdraw the appeal while the EFCC’s legal team, led by Abubakar Mahmud, SAN, alongside Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, and B. O. Obialo did not oppose the withdrawal.

Justice Okoro dismissed the appeal, stating, “The appeal is dismissed, having been withdrawn without any objection.”

A similar appeal, marked SC/CV/447/2018, filed by the Speaker of the House of Assembly was dismissed on the same ground.

Source: EFCC 

Still Loyal to Wike, Fubara sacks Rivers traditional council chairman over omission of Governor, deputy's pictures on State traditional council's 2024 calendar

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has removed the Chairman of the State Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers Eze Sergeant Awuse.

The removal of Awuse was announced during a special meeting between the Governor and traditional rulers at the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The removal was attributed to Awuse's publication of a 2024 calendar that omitted photographs of the Governor and his deputy. 

Announcing Awuse's removal, Fubara said: "I will like to draw your attention to a special insult that was melted to this government. The council produced a calendar for the year 2024, and the governor's picture, the deputy governor's picture was not in the calender. I want to ask you, does it show any sign that that leadership is working with this government?. 

"So I've decided today that we have to move forward. By the special grace of God, the administrative lifespan of the chairman is one year. 

"So at this particular hour, I have to say that 'with the power vested on me, the tenure of Sergeant Awuse is terminated."

Source: X | Symnfoni

The God who rules in the affairs of Wike and Fubara

By Bolaji O. Akinyemi.

Pride they say goes before destruction. Pride is a difficult trait to recognise particularly by those who are proud! Many who are proud are living at the mercy of time for an inevitable destruction that must happen; this of course includes me! May mercy preserve me and you till the day our eyes would be opened to see the seeds of destruction in us, no matter how small and where they are harboured!

 To rid oneself of pride is to accept the humble pie of humility. It is never an easy route but grace can make it easier for a Carmel to pass through the eye of the needle while rich ones proudly stroll in comfort and opulence to hell!

"Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad", goes the saying. I am yet to see the manifestation of madness that is worse than pride! Like a mad man, the proud lives in the realm of puffy spiritual clout and status far above the understanding of those around them. Of course, they are deaf to words and immuned to counsel until what should happen happens! Who is more proud than the other between the duo, only time can reveal!

Politics has been generous to Wike since 1999 when he came on the stage as the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. He was re-elected into the same office in 2003 and completed his 2nd term in 2007!

A very well deserved appointment came his way, having stood with His Exellency Rotimi Amaechi during his political travails. Wike became the Chief of Staff to the Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, a position he held from 2007 to 2011. From here he was nominated by his Principal for the position of a Minister. Perhaps this was Amaechi's greatest political mistake!

 Wike was appointed the minister of State for Education in 2011, a position he held till 2014, though he later served as the substantive Minister in the same ministry. He returned to Rivers State to contest election into the office of the Executive Governor of the state on the platform of PDP, an election he won in 2015!

His working relationship with the Jonathans deepened while he served as the minister of education but when Amaechi decamped to APC and would bring the PDP house in Rivers State down, Wike knew when to re-define political loyalty and re-align political allegiance. The fallout between Amaechi and Jonathan was the opportunity which Wike grabbed with both hands!

The 2023 game rewarded him with the position of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory!

His Exellency Nyesome Wike is not just a political juggernaut; he is an icon in politics by all standards! His rise in the terrain of politics in Rivers State attests to this, from where he took the national landscape by storm!

The idol in him saw to the humiliation of PDP and the rise of APC in the last general election. If Obi's exit from PDP saw to the death of PDP, the game of Wike buried the party for APC!

Prior to the election, the refusal of PDP to zone presidency to the South was the issue. On this, Wike had the support of some governors from the region and other regions; so when he failed to clinch the ticket, he upped his game, stayed in the party, held his alliance to governors and members of the party who were sympathetic to his course till the damage was done to Atiku Abubakar's ambition!

Mr Project, had enough for foes, friends and fans to come to Rivers State to Commission! From President Obasanjo, Buhari, Oshiomhole, etc all made it to Rivers State to commission one project or the other.  His approach to the 2023 game was loud but subtle. Hardly could anyone tell where Wike was ending. We thought his joker was Peter Obi, among the endless of dignitaries that honoured his invitation to commission a project in Rivers State while Wike held sway. Wike was so sublime that Peter Obi was grateful to him for inviting him to commission Nkpolu-Oroworukwo bridge in a community that was traditionally an Igbo, it was a good way to measure the influence of Peter Obi in the state. The crowd was an attestation to Obi's growing political clout as Wike had issues controlling the crowd who were chanting Obi, Obi, Obi. A platform for strategic communication and Wike didn't miss it, he referred to Obi as colleague of traders who came out in several thousands to welcome him. He reassured the crowd in the presence of Obi that he had no plan to dislodge the Igbo and that the bridge project was the reason he was misunderstood. He didn't forget to tell Obi he was invited to witness his good work so that he can tell his party to forget about Rivers State Governorship election 2023, without making any commitment to Peter Obi who attended the occasion in company of his Vice Presidential Candidate, Dr Yusuf Datti. His bait to the Labour party crowd was effective when he sympathized with Obi on why he has to leave PDP, but he promised to stay back in PDP to see what he saw to! Afterwards, speculations of his support for Obi rent the air among the Obidients across the country. Wike's leg on the ball right or left was not known until the election day!

 When he dropped the ACE, Bola Ahmed Tinubu was his candidate! He worked for him within and outside the book to ensure victory in Rivers State!

Soon after the election, it was the turn of incoming President to come over to Rivers  State to commission a project. Tinubu and Wike both threw the public into frenzy with Wike's request and Tinubu's refusal. Wike's appointment put paid to public impression of a disagreement between the duo!

Wike was the best at the game, playing on the side of Amaechi to outsmart Peter Odili. His hard tackle ended not just the game for Celestine Omehia but his entire political career! Erazing his record and achievements Wike further targeted.  Wike was not just a Governor, he could easily pass for  Monarch with power and influence, marching what was witnessed under ancestral homeland empires! But Wike was a Governor whose terms and tenure were fixated by the constitution. After 8 years in office he must leave power. Our Wike left Office though without leaving Power and the complication of that has engulfed the state in crisis!

The silence and side taking of Abuja on the Rivers crisis is understandable. Those whose portraits are up in less than a year of coming to power for a four year term are already on the road for the 2027 race! Wike of course is not just a necessary evil in the Rivers game. He is a needed one for 2027 in Rivers State!

Goals setting is the way of mortals who should be in gratitude of grace for the day; mortals who are like petals that may not see tomorrow are often found of planning appointments for the day after tomorrow. Inevitably playing God. Wike did, with Sim Fubara, his anointed son in PDP for an election many believed was won by the Labour Party!

 All institutions involved in the election were not just at the call and beckon of Wike, They were at his altar. All indeed of financial oxygen were breathing. Wike is generous to a fault and this worked well for him! 

Wike was very powerful! There was no end to his influence in sight so soon. Or so we thought like mere mortals!

According to Daniel 4:17, But there is a God! I will choose the  EasyEnglish version of the verse; "The angels who watch human people have said this. And this is what they have chosen. So now everyone will know that God rules in the kingdoms of men. He can give kingdoms to anyone that he wants to. And he can cause men who are not important to become kings.”

On whose side the God who rules in the Kingdom of men is; will determine in whose favour the swinging pendulum will hang at the end of the day. 

Has Fubara been silent without any move? no! Though Wike has been loud but Fubara has been deft. The grasses in Rivers State have been the ones suffering in the fight of the Elephant and the its calf!

Structure control is at the heart of this battle while Wike's legs are in and out. Out in APC and in, in PDP, leaving Fubara to grasp for political oxygen in hope of 2027! Fubara shows his master's skills when he reached out to His Exellency Alex Chioma Otti to come over to commission a project in Rivers State. Two things stuck out for me in this move. First, is the performance of LP "without structures" in the last election and the results it produced! Second, is the super performance of the Action Governor that its not just Abians but Nigerians have seen in Otti's handling of Abia State!

Fubara didn't just stop at that, he went further. Obviously attempts at loosening Wike's grip on the state are daily progressing.

A recent dramatic turn of events has shown Governor Fubara's assertion of his authority over the state, dismantling Wike's political stronghold in the process in Rivers State. In the Executive arm this has consumed commissioners and appointees who in the bid to prove their loyalty to Wike had resigned granting Fubara the opportunity to have them replaced by Fubara's loyalists! This, for me is a flawed political move. Politics is local. If Wike had to remain in PDP to damage it from within. Remaining with Fubara would have meant danger from within. The exit for Fubara to fill is minus for the Wike side. Though Wike is in a position to fix them up, that would be in the FCT and the battle is local!

The Legislature is not spared. 25 House of Assembly members who defected are now "homeless politicians," as someone put it. They are at the mercy of the Judiciary seeking its intervention!

The Judiciary to which homeless house of assembly members are looking have seen Wike's ally in the system demoted, forcing resignation, paving the way for Fubara's appointment of his loyalist. If Rivers State was a Yoruba state, I would have requested Fubara to invite King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, KWAM1, to come and commission the foundation laying of the demolished House of Assembly, singing the song from one of his best sellers titled; CONSOLIDATION!

A stormy tide of power is blowing in Rivers State. Which will it uproot? The established Araba tree or the tender Igi Nla? only God who rules over the affairs of men can tell!

The antics and counter are permitted, propaganda is part of the game. Media war is welcome. After all said and done, the God who supervises the destruction of the proud is the same God who gives grace to the humble. "Eni Olorun ba gba fun in the game of power at the end of the day is the champion!

Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi is an Apostle and Nation Builder. He’s also President Voice of His Word Ministries and Convener Apostolic Round Table. BoT Chairman, Project Victory Call Initiative, AKA PVC Naija. He is a strategic Communicator and the C.E.O, Masterbuilder Communications.




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