A coalition of civic groups under the banner of Citizens’ Action for Democratic Restoration (CADR) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately end the emergency rule in Rivers State, warning that the federal intervention has derailed constitutional governance and deepened instability in the oil-rich region.

Speaking in Port Harcourt on Saturday, the coalition’s National President, Dr Maryleen Ebere Okoro, criticised the appointment of retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as sole administrator of the state, describing it as a “reckless overreach” that has undermined democratic institutions and silenced the voice of the people.

“President Tinubu may have acted out of a desire to stabilise Rivers State, but the appointment of a sole administrator who has suspended the governor, ignored court rulings, and cracked down on peaceful protesters has destroyed any good intention that may have existed,” Dr Okoro said. “This is not an intervention. It is an occupation.”

Since the declaration of emergency rule on 18 March, CADR alleged that Rivers State has witnessed a series of troubling developments. These include the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, the dissolution of the House of Assembly, mass dismissals of political appointees, the imposition of loyalists in local government councils, and the defiance of subsisting court orders.

The group further condemned the use of security forces to disperse peaceful demonstrations, especially those led by women demanding a return to civilian rule.

“Vice Admiral Ibas has systematically dismantled the democratic scaffolding of the state. What we now have is a dictatorship under federal protection,” Dr Okoro stated. “Tear-gassing women carrying placards is not peacekeeping — it is repression. And repression can never build unity.”

CADR also faulted President Tinubu’s silence in the face of growing national outrage, warning that continued inaction risks damaging both his credibility and the country’s fragile democracy.

“If the President truly sought peace, he would have brought all relevant stakeholders — from traditional rulers to elected officials and civil society — to the table. Instead, he chose imposition over dialogue, and that decision is now fuelling division rather than healing it.”

The coalition warned that the continued stay of Ibas in office under emergency powers sets a dangerous precedent that could one day be replicated in other states facing political disagreements.

“Today it is Rivers. Tomorrow it could be any other state. If a federal administrator can replace an entire government by decree, then our democracy is no longer safe,” she added.