Osamagbe Imadiyi
President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday, and the National Assembly approved it on Thursday. The suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and the members of the state assembly was discussed and decided upon during separate plenary sessions of the two chambers. Despite opposition leaders’ calls to denounce Tinubu’s proclamation, the parliament supported it. However, on Thursday, Fubara spoke out and refuted claims made by the Federal Government that he teleguided attacks on oil installations by alleged militant organizations in the state. Additionally, the governor denied that he took any action to rebuild the state House of Assembly after it was bombed, despite having ordered its demolition.
Before tearing down the Assembly complex, which was allegedly lacking in integrity, Fubara claimed to have followed professional advice. The suspended governor stated in a statement released in Port Harcourt by his chief press secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, that it was critical to correct the records. When he declared a state of emergency in Rivers, President Bola Tinubu criticized Fubara for failing to stop the attack on oil pipelines. Echoing the Supreme Court, Tinubu also called Fubara a despot, referring to the state House of Assembly complex’s demolition, which prevented lawmakers from holding plenary sessions.
Nonetheless, the suspended governor maintained that the accusations were false, claiming that Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory’s Minister, had incited the attacks by allegedly demeaning the Ijaw nation in a media chat. According to Fubara, Wike refused to apologize despite demands from Ijaw leaders and organizations. It is on record that Governor Fubara acted based on professional advice and guidance,” the statement said in response to the allegation that Fubara destroyed the state House of Assembly complex without consequence and did nothing to rebuild it 14 months later.
It should be mentioned that the government immediately decided to heed the lawmakers’ long-standing demands to rebuild the facility after the October 29, 2023 incident and expert reports. The government promptly demolished the deteriorating structure to make way for a state-of-the-art Assembly complex, which is currently nearly 80% complete. “The idea that someone who has consistently advocated for nonviolence and peace, despite severe provocations, would be ‘telegraphing attacks on oil pipelines’ and violating the peace he has so diligently worked to establish and maintain for the benefit of the state’s citizens is obviously false,” he stated.
