The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has fiercely criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it a reckless and unconstitutional move designed to strengthen political control rather than restore stability.
Speaking in Yenagoa on Tuesday night, INC President Prof. Benjamin Okaba condemned the decision, describing it as hasty, lopsided, and a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.
“This is nothing short of dictatorship in civilian clothing,” Okaba said. “The crisis could have been avoided if the President had simply called his minister, Nyesom Wike, to order. Instead, Wike has been allowed to orchestrate chaos in Rivers State to maintain his grip on power.”
Okaba argued that Wike’s well-documented interference in Rivers politics had been the root cause of instability. “Wike has openly boasted that he will make governance impossible for Governor Fubara unless he surrenders control of all local governments and agrees not to contest in 2027,” he revealed.
“If Mr. President truly wants to resolve this crisis fairly, then why remove Fubara while leaving Wike untouched? If the governor, his deputy, and the state assembly are to go, then Wike and all federal appointees from Rivers State should also be removed,” he asserted. “Otherwise, they will continue to manipulate the situation for their own advantage.”
The INC President further alleged that the state of emergency had been part of Wike’s contingency plan all along. “From the beginning, Wike saw this as a last resort—if the judiciary and House of Assembly failed to remove Fubara, then manufacturing chaos to justify emergency rule was always on the table.”
He called on Ijaw communities and global stakeholders to stand firm against what he described as political oppression. “The safety of Governor Fubara must be guaranteed. Now that the military has taken over, his life is at risk. The Ijaw people must rise and place President Tinubu on notice—should anything happen to our son, the world will be watching.”
