Political activists and the people of Rivers State have expressed disappointment over the refusal or failure of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to see June 12, 2025—a day Nigeria marked its 26th year of uninterrupted democracy—as an opportunity to restore democratic governance in Rivers State.
There were expectations, fueled by speculation, that the President would end the undemocratic government in Rivers State and recall Governor Siminalayi Fubara as a symbolic gesture for Democracy Day. However, those hopes were dashed as the President did not mention Rivers State in his address to the National Assembly.
Tinubu had earlier suspended democratic rule in Rivers for six months, citing the need to restore calm in a state he said was spiraling out of control under Fubara. In his speech, Tinubu stated that the crisis persisted and that democratic governance, which Nigerians had fought for, could not thrive under such circumstances. He referred to threats from militants who had aligned themselves with the governor, whom he accused of failing to disown them.
According to the President, on March 18, 2025, he invoked Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers him to declare a state of emergency. He said the state had been at a standstill prior to this action. However, residents claim the situation has worsened despite monthly allocations being disbursed to the appointed Sole Administrator.
Governor Fubara reportedly attempted to represent the 2025 appropriation bill to the State Assembly but was turned back. On March 12, 2025, he was denied entry to the State Assembly quarters to present the budget, despite a court order.
Following the emergency rule declaration, Fubara met with his political benefactor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, at least twice, seeking reconciliation. He also met President Tinubu in Lagos ahead of the Democracy Day celebration.
These developments led many Nigerians to expect the President to end the six-month suspension and reinstate democratic governance in Rivers State on June 12. Senator Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa West criticized Tinubu’s silence on the matter during his address to the National Assembly, calling it a missed opportunity to reinforce democracy. He emphasized that Democracy Day should be about upholding Nigerians’ democratic rights, regardless of party affiliation.
Port Harcourt-based political activist and APC chieftain, Chizy Enyi, Esq., alleged that Tinubu’s actions are politically motivated, intended to control the state ahead of the 2027 elections. He claimed the President had no constitutional right to suspend an elected governor and accused him of empowering Wike’s political allies by appointing them into key positions through the Sole Administrator.
Enyi further criticized the legitimacy of local government elections and appointments conducted under what he described as a “military rule” environment, contrary to Supreme Court judgments. He argued that Tinubu was essentially returning Wike’s political structure to him and warned of potential violence had the situation been reversed.
He added that President Tinubu had never visited Rivers State since taking office and predicted that the state would remember him negatively. He asserted that 2027 would ultimately reveal the political consequences of these actions.
Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a former APC spokesperson, also claimed the suspension of democracy is part of Tinubu’s strategy to marginalize former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi. Eze alleged that Tinubu’s broader goal is to prevent Rivers State from developing, unlike Lagos or Akwa Ibom, and that the emergency rule is a political ploy rather than a response to actual security concerns.
Residents of Rivers State lamented that projects initiated by Governor Fubara have been abandoned and questioned the usage of federal allocations. Others maintained that peace existed in the state before the emergency declaration and that there was no justification for it.
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) urged President Tinubu to demonstrate his commitment to democratic principles by lifting the state of emergency and reinstating the governor and elected lawmakers, especially on the symbolic date of June 12.
About the Author
