…Activists Decry Job Losses, Poor Governance
…CUPP Calls Suspension ‘Federal Overreach’
By Jeremy Fregene & Franklin Adole
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday announced the lifting of the six-month state of emergency in Rivers State, restoring Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly to office with effect from today.
But even as Tinubu declared calm restored, stakeholders across Rivers called for accountability, insisting that the suspension of democratic rule inflicted deep losses on the state and undermined constitutional governance.
In a statement in Abuja, Tinubu said peace and order had returned, making it possible to end the emergency imposed on March 18 amid political tensions and governance breakdown. “It gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers shall end with effect from midnight today,” the President said.
“The Governor, His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, the Deputy Governor, Her Excellency Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, including the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, will resume work in their offices from September 18.” He added that the return of democratic governance would strengthen institutional stability and restore confidence in the state.
Niger Delta activist, Ms Ann-Kio Briggs, said Rivers people could not ignore the toll of the suspension. “Until the governor is allowed to freely carry out constitutional responsibilities, we cannot say exactly what this portends,” she said. “Those six months were characterised by project abandonment, poor performance, and incalculable losses.”
Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President of the Ijaw National Congress, echoed the demand for accountability, saying the state was taken “several years backwards” and no fewer than 10,000 jobs were lost. “Suspending the governor, his deputy, and the legislature handed absolute power to a sole administrator and undermined democratic principles,” Okaba said.
The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) also condemned the episode as a dangerous precedent. In a statement signed by its National Secretary, Chief Peter Ameh, the group said Tinubu’s proclamation was “an egregious act of federal overreach” that violated constitutional safeguards. “By assuming unchecked authority, President Tinubu has acted as a ‘Proclaimer General,’ threatening the democratic balance of our federation,” it said.
CUPP demanded publication of the legal memo justifying the emergency, disclosure of financial costs, and a full audit of rights violations during the suspension. It also accused the Supreme Court of complicity for refusing to hear a challenge by PDP governors, warning that “history will judge this episode as either a fleeting misstep or the beginning of a slide toward authoritarianism.”
Darlington Nwauju, a factional publicity secretary of the APC in Rivers, welcomed Tinubu’s decision but admitted the emergency rule period left scars. “Rivers was poorly managed during the past six months. The sanitary condition alone reflected the absence of governance. Workers experienced delayed salaries,” he said. Nwauju urged Fubara to move quickly to restore confidence, improve infrastructure, and re-attract investors.
Analysts say that while Tinubu has presented the lifting of the emergency as a triumph of stability, the chorus of voices demanding accountability highlights the depth of damage left behind, and only genuine reconciliation and transparency will determine whether Rivers truly moves forward.