END OF EMERGENCY RULE IN RIVERS STATE
All the actors should now work for the progress of the state
With the expiration of the six-month emergency rule last Thursday, a semblance of normalcy has returned to Rivers State. Now that the democratic structures have been restored, we urge Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the House of Assembly to work together in the interest of their people. The relative peace in the state in the last six months has testified to the inherent harmony of the civil populace which was only upset by the clashing interests and inordinate ambitions of politicians. On that score, the challenge of both sides in the crisis should now be to subordinate personal and political interest to service, peace and order in Rivers State.
In a televised broadcast last Friday, shortly after returning to office, Fubara said he resisted pressure to challenge the presidential declaration of emergency rule that suspended him from office in the interest of peace and progress in the state. He also admitted that the last six months have been enormously challenging for the state. “We believe the political crisis is now behind us and that peace and stability have once again returned to Rivers State, though not without the hard lessons learnt from the emergency rule.” We hope that these ‘hard lessons’ are sufficient for all the actors in this crisis to sheathe their swords and now work together. Nothing is gained in an atmosphere of acrimony, and it seems the governor recognises that. The onus is now on the other parties to accept his olive branch and give peace a chance.
In what we described as a treacherous borderline between impunity and political expediency at the time, President Bola Tinubu had on 18th March this year suspended Fubara for a period of six months in the first instance. Also suspended was the deputy governor, Ngozi Odu, and all members of the state House of Assembly. In place of the elected officials, the president appointed a retired naval officer, Ibok-Ette Ibas as the sole administrator. He predicated his action partly on “disturbing” security reports detailing incidents of vandalism of pipelines by some militants without the governor taking any action to curtail them.
There are still contentions about the constitutionality of a presidential suspension of a governor and members of the state house of assembly from their respective offices but only the Supreme Court can ultimately decide on that. It is the same with the controversial local government election conducted by the former sole administrator. As we pointed out recently, local government areas in the country represent the third tier of government with specified constitutional provisions on how their chairmen and councillors should be elected. The one conducted by Ibas was not preceded by the statutory 90-day pre-election notification as required by law at a period many unresolved issues around the status and powers of the state administrator were being adjudicated by various courts. Besides, it was the conduct of a toxic and contentious local government election last October by Fubara that led to the crisis that eventually culminated in his suspension.
Given the foregoing, going forward would require a measure of compromises on the part of the political actors, including the governor in an environment where cleavages seem to have deepened in recent months. Since Fubara seems to have been humbled by the experience of the last six months, the swagger of some political emperors in the state must now give way to candour and respect for authority and modesty of expression. But there is also a lesson for the powers-that-be in Abuja. National security is not a fictional construct to be invented and weaponised by feuding political factions. It must be palpable enough to warrant the invocation of presidential powers. Partisan interests should no longer hawk emergency powers as a threat to frighten opponents.
