The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, IbokEte Ibas, has said the declaration of emergency rule in the state was a “necessity forced upon us by insecurity and political impasse.” Ibas spoke yesterday during a public lecture in Port Harcourt, the state capital, organised as part of the transition activities.
The public lecture was themed: ‘Democracy and good governance’. The sole administrator said the emergency rule was never a choice, noting that it offered “enduring lessons” for the state.
He said his administration has restored democratic governance at the grassroots level with the conduct of the LG elections. “Let me be clear: emergency rule was never our choice,” he said. “It was a necessity, forced upon us by insecurity, political impasse, and a breakdown of trust. Yet, in hindsight, it offered enduring lessons.
“That peace is priceless. That without security, no other aspiration is possible. That when governance is weakened, opportunism fills the vacuum, endangering lives and livelihoods. “And, most importantly, that the indomitable spirit of the Rivers people cannot be broken. You endured, you persevered, and you remained steadfast.
“The stability we have restored is the foundation upon which democracy must now be rebuilt.” On March 18, President Bola Tinubu imposed an emergency rule in the oil-rich state in the wake of a political crisis. The President also suspended the Governor, Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers Assembly for six months. He appointed Ibas, a retired naval chief, as the sole administrator of the state.
The emergency rule is expected to end tomorrow, unless the President decides otherwise. And in another development, the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is making moves to bring Fubara into its party as the state prepares for a handover ceremony APC spokesman in Rivers, Darlington Nwauju, made the call yesterday while speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
Nwauju said: “If I were the governor of Rivers State, on my return on Thursday, I would announce my defection to the All Progressives Congress.
“I think the governor should join the APC, and we would gladly receive the governor into our party.” When asked if Fubara would lead the APC in Rivers if he defected, Nwauju responded that it was automatic. “By the convention of our party, if he joins the All Progressives Congress, he becomes the leader of the party,” he added.
