By Joel Oladele, Abuja

The declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State has ignited fierce backlash from political leaders and citizens alike, with prominent local elders denouncing the move as hasty and undemocratic.

Key political figures, including High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) have equivocally opposed the president’s actions, claiming the initiative lacks constitutional validity and undermines democracy.

Meanwhile, Amaechi condemned the emergency rule as a grave affront to democracy, stating in a public reaction, “With this singular move, Mr. President has technically suspended democracy in Rivers State.

As the political climate sizzles, residents of Port Harcourt are reacting with mounting concern. Panic buying has swept through major markets—the fear of possible restrictions under emergency rule leading families to scramble for supplies. A visit to popular markets revealed alarming trends of stockpiling.

In a similar development, President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd.) as the Sole Administrator of the state.

Ibas was sworn in following a short meeting with the president yesterday afternoon.

President Tinubu had in a national broadcast on Tuesday, announced the suspension of Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and the state lawmakers, citing their failure to resolve political differences.

The President also cited the destruction of pipelines by suspected militants as a contributing factor to the declaration.

Reacting to the move by the President, some elders in Rivers strongly opposed the decision, arguing that it was made hastily and is not a viable solution to restore normalcy.

A chieftain of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, disagreed with the president’s action on the emergency rule.

He stated that all avenues for mediation should have been exhausted before resorting to emergency rule.

“President Tinubu’s invocation of Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution at this time is inappropriate.

“The president claims to have declared a state of emergency to restore peace, but the real question is: why is the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, the key figure in the crisis, not suspended,” he asked.

Sara-Igbe said that it was unconstitutional to suspend or remove elected officials from office.

“Unlike in Sokoto, Borno, and other northern states, there is no war or loss of lives in Rivers that warrants the declaration of emergency rule in a peaceful state.’’

He, however, accused the President of not being sincere with the people of Rivers and had taken sides in the crisis through his actions and comments.

A prominent environmental and human rights activist, Ann-Kio Briggs, also decried Tinubu’s justification for the emergency declaration, particularly his claim that Fubara failed to brief him or condemn the pipeline explosions.

She stated that Fubara had, on multiple occasions, informed the president of developments in the state.

“On March 11, PANDEF met with the president to brief him and seek his intervention; the group had also made efforts to mediate peace between Fubara and Wike.

“So, for President Tinubu to give the impression that no efforts were made to resolve the crises is misleading.

Briggs said that the president’s reference to pipeline attacks as a basis for the state emergency was not convincing since pipelines had been vandalised for decades in Niger Delta without such drastic measures being taken.

She acknowledged that while the President had the power to declare a state of emergency, he did not have the constitutional authority to suspend an elected governor.

“This decision is hasty, rash, and premeditated, posing a grave threat to the people of the state; it is a targeted plot against Gov. Fubara, it is unacceptable,” she said.

She also referenced Wike’s past remarks on national television, where he allegedly claimed to have the capacity to sabotage pipelines, and questioned why the minister was not suspended.

“Why wasn’t the minister suspended, considering he is a major player in the crises and the one the 27 lawmakers take instructions from,” Briggs asked.

On his part, the All Progressives Congress (APC)  candidate in the 2023 Rivers governorship election, Tonye Cole, blamed all political actors for the state of affairs in Rivers.

He described the emergency rule as a dark chapter in Rivers’ politics and an indictment on all involved.

According to him, the President intervened only after political leaders failed to resolve their differences amicably.

“Today is a dark day in Rivers politics; the President had no choice but to step in to address the situation.

“I believe the president made some attempts to resolve the issues, but he did not push hard enough to bring the matter to a peaceful conclusion,” Cole remarked.

Panic Buying as Emergency Rule Takes Effect

Residents of Port Harcourt rushed to markets yesterday to stockpile food and other essential items following the state of emergency declaration in Rivers.

President Bola Tinubu had on Tuesday suspended Gov. Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and the state lawmakers for a six-month period, citing security concerns.

A visit to major markets, including Mile 1, Mile 3, and Slaughter in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, revealed a surge in patronage as residents scramble to buy essential goods.

Findings indicated that many people were making large purchases in anticipation of possible restrictions and security concerns due to the emergency rule.

Some residents also attributed the panic buying to the increased deployment of military and police personnel, along with heavy security equipment across the state.

A resident, who simply identified herself as Comfort, described the situation as alarming, noting that some basic household items had suddenly become scarce.

The mother of three said she decided to stock up on food and other supplies due to fear of the unknown.

“I do not know what might happen next, so I came to Mile 1 Market to buy food that will last us for two weeks,” she said.

At Mile 3 market, Mrs Eazy Oluoma recalled her experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, which taught her a valuable lesson.

She explained that her family suffered from hunger during the lockdown because they had assumed markets and shops would remain open.

“I do not want to take the same risk I took the last time, which is why I am here to buy food items in advance,” she stated.

Dr. Chibuzo, who was in his car while his wife shopped for groceries, expressed concern over the political crises in the state.

He acknowledged that while the state of emergency had somewhat eased tensions, it would have significant economic consequences.

“Since the President’s announcement, food prices and other essentials have gone up,” he observed.

At the Slaughter Market along Trans-Woji Road, a resident, Wodi, lamented that he could not buy enough meat due to the crowd and rising costs.

He called on the authorities to intervene, warning that food inflation could worsen the hardship faced by the residents.

Tinubu Swears in Ibas as Sole Administrator

President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.

The administrator was sworn in following a short meeting with the president yesterday afternoon.

Tinubu announced the appointment of the retired naval chief at a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, when he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu; and the Rivers State House of Assembly members.

Tinubu hinged his decision on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saying he can’t continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking any action.

The suspension of Fubara and other democratically elected representatives has been expressly rejected and condemned by many eminent Nigerians, legal luminaries, groups including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Femi Falana, the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Nigerian Bar Association, among others.

However, the emergency rule has been praised by the pro-Nyesom Wike Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule, accusing Fubara of contravening the Supreme Court ruling on the political situation in the state.

Ibas was the Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021. He was born in Cross River where he is from and had his early education there.

The new sole administrator went to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979 from where he proceeded to have a successful career in the Navy, rising through the ranks to the very top.

He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Nigerian Institute of Management.

President Muhammadu Buhari who appointed him as Chief of Naval Staff conferred him with the National Honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2022.

Fubara’s Suspension Affront to Democracy – Amaechi

The former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, has said the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu is a dangerous affront to the nation’s democracy.

Amaechi, a former Rivers Governor, described the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu and the members of the state House of Assembly as unilateral and reckless and called on the National Assembly to reject the presidential declaration.

The former governor stated this in a statement he personally signed titled ‘My Immediate Reaction To The Undemocratic, Unconstitutional, Suspension Of Elected State Officials In Rivers State’

The statement reads, “Unequivocally, I condemn the rather brazen and unilaterally reckless suspension and removal of the Governor of Rivers State, the Deputy Governor of Rivers State and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“With this singular move, Mr President has technically suspended and truncated democracy in Rivers State. This clearly violates our Constitution, the same Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that Mr. President swore to uphold.

“Section 188 of the Nigeria Constitution clearly stipulates how a State Governor can be removed from office. And it does not include a fiat declaration, decree or promulgation by Mr. President. Therefore, he cannot appropriate such powers to himself.

“A democratically elected State Governor cannot be removed from office by a proclamation of Mr. President. The suspension of two key democratically elected arms of Government in Rivers State by Mr. President evidently violates our Constitution, even within the scope and interpretation of Section 305 that the President cited in his broadcast.

“The unlawful suspension of elected democratic institutions in my dear Rivers State points to a brazen attempt at power grab in the State by forces and persons who do not have such Constitutional powers. The unfolding events in Rivers State in the past months points to a clear orchestrated plot by some persons to unconstitutionally perpetrate and impose themselves on the people.

“At this inauspicious moment in our nation’s trajectory, all people of goodwill and conscience should rise to oppose this audacious violation of our Constitution and rape of our democracy. Mr President must be made to know and understand in unmistakable terms that this illegality cannot stand.”

Amaechi called on well-meaning Nigerians to speak up, especially the Nigerian Governors Forum, whom he believes can “reverse the Unlawful actions” of the President.

“Politicians across divides should speak up; rise to halt our nation’s descent into totalitarianism. State Governors and Legislators should speak up now. I urge the National Assembly to reject this illegality.

“As a former State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), I am not unaware of the role elected Governors in the country can play to halt this descent and reverse the unlawful actions of Mr. President. I commend the Governors who have spoken against the unlawful suspension.

“The suspension is a very dangerous affront to Nigeria’s Constitution and democracy.”