Rivers: Emergency rule prevented full-blown crisis – Arewa Think Tank

The Arewa Think Tank (ATT) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for declaring a state of emergency in Rivers state, stating that the move was necessary to prevent a full-blown crisis.

In a statement on Friday, the Chief Convener of ATT, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, said it was better to take proactive measures than to wait until the situation escalated beyond control.

“It wouldn’t have been ideal to declare a state of emergency in the middle of a crisis, but President Tinubu acted wisely by stopping the looming trouble in its infancy,” the statement read in part.

The group also urged the president to initiate reconciliation meetings with the warring factions during the emergency period to ensure a lasting resolution before lifting the suspension on Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the state Assembly.

ATT praised the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and the National Assembly for approving the emergency rule, noting that the decision aligned with Section 305 (2) of the 1999 Constitution, which grants the Senate the power to approve such declarations.

“For us at Arewa Think Tank, President Tinubu has taken the best course of action. By imposing a state of emergency, he has saved Rivers from anarchy, bloodshed, and economic sabotage that could have resulted from vandalism and destruction of oil and gas facilities. People should stop blaming Mr. President,” the statement read.

The group called for the formation of a high-powered reconciliation committee comprising eminent Nigerians to mediate between Governor Fubara, his predecessor and political rival Nyesom Wike, and other factions in the state.

Yakubu traced the political crisis in Rivers to the lingering feud between supporters of Fubara and Wike, which led to threats of impeachment, a split in the state assembly, and defection of 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He recalled how the crisis deepened when Fubara demolished the state assembly complex and later presented the 2024 budget to a faction of four lawmakers sitting at the Government House; a move that was challenged in court.

“The Supreme Court ruled on February 28 that Governor Fubara must recognise the 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike as valid members of the state assembly and submit the state budget to them.

“The impeachment process against Governor Fubara had already passed the second reading, and tensions were high. We can only imagine the level of crisis that would have erupted had he been impeached. This emergency rule is a better alternative,” the statement read further.

The group reiterated its support for the intervention and called for sincere efforts to ensure peace and stability in Rivers.