Rivers APC backs state of emergency as best decision

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has said that the declaration of a State of Emergency by President Bola Tinubu is the best decision to checkmate the brewing circumstances of economic sabotage and general anomie that were trickling in and bedevilling the peace of the state.

Chairman of the State APC, Tony Okocha, blamed the failure to implement the 8-point resolution signed by both parties in the crisis as the cause of the current action by the President.

Okocha alleged that some elders, who should have drummed for peace, instead counselled the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara never to accept the conditions, arguing that the President lacked the powers under the Constitution to intervene in such a matter.

He also stated that they went to court to seek a declaration that Mr. President’s decision was political, not constitutional.

However, several groups, including the South-South Governors Forum, have criticized the State of Emergency declaration, saying the political situation in the state does not satisfy the criteria for such action as outlined in Section 305(3) of the Nigerian Constitution (as amended).

Specifically, the Governors, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Sen. Douye Diri, Governor of Bayelsa State, explained that the section suggests that such a declaration should be considered under specific conditions like war, external aggression, imminent invasion, breakdown of public order, existential threats to Nigeria, natural disasters, or other significant public dangers.

But Okocha insisted that the action of the President was inevitable to stem the growing crisis in the state.
The APC chieftain berated the Governor for disregarding the rule of law and accused him of supervising the demolition of the Assembly complex.

He further expressed dismay that threats of blowing up pipelines were made real, thereby destroying significant national assets.

Okocha, therefore, stated that the President’s decision for a State of Emergency in Rivers State is rather painful but a ‘timeous decision.’

Citing an African proverb that says, “An elder doesn’t sit to watch a goat deliver her baby on tethers,” Okocha described the action as important and applauded President Tinubu for proactively stepping in to address the crisis in Rivers State.

Okocha said, “Your Excellency, we saw the zest in you to have the self-inflicted Rivers State political imbroglio resolved. For the second time, during the visit with you by PANDEF, you alluded to the Rivers State case and urged the leaders to help in the realization and implementation of the rule of law and specifically the judgment delivered by the Supreme Court on the 28th of February, 2025.

“Despite the Presidential counsel, Rivers State became a beehive of activities for non-state actors who boasted openly to bomb pipelines, strangle the nation’s economy, and engage in lawlessness should Governor Fubara be impeached.

“We thought that it was an empty threat. They made good their boast by bombing and destroying crucial pipelines in Rivers State. Kidnapping, robbery, and blocking of major highways returned in droves. Governor Fubara did absolutely nothing to restore normalcy to a now fledgling state that he governed.”

Full Statement Attached Here:

DECLARATION OF STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE

On behalf of the teeming membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, I write to express our painful satisfaction with the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State.

It was clearly the best of all possible decisions to checkmate the brewing circumstances of economic sabotage and general anomie that were trickling in and bedevilling peace in Rivers State.

I recall that in your very tight schedule, you took time to meet with critical stakeholders in Rivers State, in the most serene environment in the State House, Abuja.

That meeting was advisory and produced an 8-point resolution as backup, which was read before the full glare of attendees by former Governor Peter Odili.

I recall also that after every paragraph was read, you paused to ask if it was acceptable to all, and everyone responded with a thunderous affirmation.

Thereafter, we signed the 8-point resolution on your table, beginning with His Excellency Governor Fubara, as he then was.

In his speech before Your Excellency and attendees, the then Governor swore to follow through with the 8-point resolution, which was intended to bring relative peace to Rivers State.

Alas, we returned to a thespian drama where some elders, who should have drummed for peace, latched onto the veritable ground provided by the meeting in the State House.

Instead, they counselled the Governor never to accept your wise counsel, arguing that you lacked the powers under the Constitution to intervene.

Worse still, they went to court to seek a declaration that Mr. President’s decision was political, not constitutional.

In all this, the Governor was the mastermind and financier.

He watched through the sordid path of denigration and abuse of Mr. President with his snide comments, which enlivened his cronies in the garb of elders.

As a party, we took out airtime in both traditional and new media to urge the Governor and his hatchet men to refrain from the ceaseless obnoxious attacks on Mr. President, whose only offense was the intention to return peace and tranquillity to Rivers State.

We failed because of the deep-seated penchant of Governor Fubara, whose deliberate intention was to show off Mr. President as weak and inconsequential.

GROSS DISREGARD FOR THE RULE OF LAW
The Governor, as he then was, utterly disregarded and disrespected the rule of law and carried on with impunity under the guise of the immunity clause in Section 308.

He chose which court orders and judicial pronouncements to obey.
Fast forward to the judgment in FHC/Abj/CS/1613/2023 delivered on the 23rd of January, 2024. The learned jurist, James Omotosho, made far-reaching decisions, including the crux of the matter, namely:

– Presentation of the 2024 budget to the Rivers State House of Assembly under the Speakership of Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule.
– That on no account should the Governor meddle in the affairs of the Assembly vis-a-vis their carrying out of constitutional functions.
– The learned jurist estopped the Governor from withholding the finances of the Assembly howsoever.

Governor Fubara disregarded all these and publicly boasted that he held the ace and would decide the fate of 27 Assembly members who, in his thoughts, are appendages to the Executive Arm and under the hard noses of his whims and caprices.

DECLARATION OF STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE

Your Excellency, we saw the zest in you to have the self-inflicted Rivers State political imbroglio resolved. Despite the Presidential counsel, Rivers State became a beehive of activities for non-state actors who boasted openly to bomb pipelines, strangle the nation’s economy, and engage in lawlessness.

We note with ‘painful satisfaction’ that Your Excellency’s decision for a State of Emergency in Rivers State is rather painful but necessary.

We congratulate Mr. President for the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State. It is utilitarian to the extent that it has brought succor and happiness to the greatest number of Rivers people.

Chief Tony C. Okocha, KSC, DSSRS, JP, Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Rivers State.

March 19, 2025.