The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has strongly condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State, describing it as “hasty, lopsided, and partisan.” The INC alleges that the move is designed to favor the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and his allies.
Speaking to journalists in Yenagoa on the state of the Ijaw Nation, INC President Prof. Benjamin Ogele Okaba criticized President Tinubu for disregarding wise counsel and implementing what he described as a premeditated plan. According to Prof. Okaba, the declaration of emergency rule was triggered by the Ijaw people’s refusal to be provoked into violence during last weekend’s staged thanksgiving/hosting of Wike in Abalama.
He alleged that the Abalama event was orchestrated to incite violence and create justification for emergency rule. However, he commended Ijaw youths for heeding the wise counsel of their elders and refusing to be drawn into conflict. Prof. Okaba further questioned why Tinubu imposed emergency rule in Rivers State while ignoring more severe crises in Plateau, Benue, Borno, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Ondo States, where persistent violent attacks by militias and other criminal elements have claimed countless lives, including those of military officers.
“We said it just yesterday in both print and TV media that the political wahala in Rivers State goes beyond a battle between Wike and Fubara. It is orchestrated by a bigger political hand. Nigerians have now seen the last straw that may break the camel’s back,” Okaba asserted.
The INC leader also condemned the selective application of the emergency rule, noting that Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, State House of Assembly members, and all political appointees were removed, while Wike—whom the INC describes as a key figure in the crisis—retains his position as FCT Minister, alongside other federal appointees loyal to him.
"Where is the justice in this equation?" Okaba asked.
He further dismissed Tinubu’s claims that Fubara failed to uphold the rule of law or create an enabling environment for good governance, stating that these accusations are entirely false. According to him, Governor Fubara:
- Provided a befitting space for the Rivers State House of Assembly to conduct its meetings after the original building was demolished.
- Paid all outstanding allowances to Assembly members.
- Complied with all terms of the peace agreement reached with President Tinubu, including withdrawing court cases and reappointing Wike’s commissioners.
- Began implementing the Supreme Court ruling by sacking illegal LGA chairmen and setting the stage for fresh Local Government Elections.
- Attempted to re-present the 2025 budget, but Wike’s loyal legislators deliberately obstructed the process as part of their wider scheme to unseat Fubara at all costs.
Suspicious Justification for Emergency Rule
The INC also demanded an independent investigation into recent pipeline bombing incidents, which President Tinubu cited as a justification for the emergency declaration. Prof. Okaba suggested that these incidents could have been orchestrated by Wike’s allies to provide an excuse for Fubara’s removal.
“How do we explain that Mr. President’s so-called State of Emergency removed Governor Fubara and his entire administration but left Wike—the major instigator of the crisis—untouched? This is a man who has openly threatened mayhem, incited violence, and attacked Ijaw people with reckless impunity,” Okaba remarked.
Call for Wike’s Removal and Reversal of Emergency Rule
The INC has demanded the immediate dismissal of Nyesom Wike as FCT Minister, warning that if Tinubu refuses to reverse the State of Emergency, the Ijaw people will be left with no choice but to reassess the systemic injustices they have endured in Nigeria and take decisive action to secure their future.
Prof. Okaba also raised concerns about Governor Fubara’s personal safety following the military’s takeover of power in Rivers State. With the armed forces now in control, he warned that any harm to Fubara, his family, or associates would raise serious questions about the true intent behind this intervention.
"The world is watching. This move increasingly looks like dictatorship disguised as civilian governance. The Ijaw people, both at home and in the diaspora, must unite and place President Tinubu on notice: we will never accept the removal or endangerment of Governor Fubara.”
Furthermore, the INC insists that if the State of Emergency stands, Local Government Elections in Rivers State must be put on hold until normal governance is restored. Allowing elections under these conditions, Okaba warned, would grant Wike and his allies an unfair advantage, enabling them to tighten their grip on the state’s political and economic resources.
Call for Unity and Vigilance
The INC calls on all Ijaw sons and daughters, both at home and abroad, to remain calm, peaceful, and vigilant as events unfold. A stakeholders’ meeting will be convened soon to discuss these pressing issues and determine the best course of action for the Ijaw Nation.
As the political crisis in Rivers State deepens, the Ijaw National Congress urges all well-meaning Nigerians to stand in defense of democracy and the rights of the Ijaw people.
Prof. Benjamin O. Okaba
President, INC Worldwide
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