By Adesina Soyooye

Senator Seriake Dickson, has explained why he walked out of the Senate just before it endorsed the State of Emergency declared in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.

Tinubu had declared a six-month State of Emergency in the State, suspended the Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy, Dr. Ngozi Odu and Members of the House of Assembly. He then appointed a Sole Administrator,  a former Chief Of Naval Staff  Vice Admiral Ibas.

Earlier, Dickson, former  two-term Governor of Bayelsa State had a shouting match, almost, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio when he tried to shut down Dickson from speaking.  Dickson had raised a point of order when he wanted to point out a procedural failure in the handling of the State of Emergency case in the Senate. But Akpabio wouldn’t let him. He tried to stop him, forcing Dickson to tell Akpabio that he respects the leadership of the Senator, but emphasized that respect is reciprocal. He also reminded Akpabio that both of them were former State Governors. At the end, Dickson had his way because he had a superior argument. After his presentation, the Senate went into a closed door session.

But according to Dickson who spoke after the closed door session, nothing went quite well. He said that there was no debate as to the constitutionality of the proclamation. He said he and a few other Senators were against the proclamation and the process adopted by the Senate to endorse it. When, therefore, it was time to present the report, he preferred walking out to staying and watching what he vigorously spoke against approved.

Dickson: “Today (Thursday), at the sitting of the Senate, the issue of the President’s proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State came up for discussion and as I have stated repeatedly, I raised my objections in the closed session on how the declaration fell short of constitutional prescription, based on my view as a Democrat, sworn to uphold the Nigerian constitution.

“The Senate did not undertake the debate in an open session. However, it was quite robust. I want to thank Sen. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal for his strong support of the unconstitutionality of the declaration, especially the aspect that deals with the suspension of the elected officials of the Rivers State government.

“At the end of the day, majority of the Senators supported the proclamation as no room was given for an open debate at plenary. I left the plenary before the Senate President was directed to report the outcome because I didn’t want to be present while what I opposed is being reported. I believe Senator Tambuwal, Senator Abaribe and others equally left too.

“I want to make it clear that as I stated repeatedly, I spoke and voted against the proclamation in our closed session, supported by Senator Aminu Tambuwal and a few other Senators who were not recognized to speak.

“And so I want to thank all the Senators who shared the view that I vigorously canvassed.

“I am, however, aware of the efforts made to modify the declaration as a result of the concerns and views we have expressed and canvassed the past few days.

“Though I acknowledge the effort being made by the leadership and President to moderate the terms of the declaration and to create a mechanism for oversight, theoretically, this does not counter the primary issue of constitutionality.

“The beauty of democracy is such that the minority will have their say while the majority have their way.

“I would have wished for a more robust and open debate so that all views and opinions can be openly canvassed, as I requested, even at the closed session specifically and thereafter, the majority can have their way but as it is, both chambers have decided and the ball is now on the court of the other arms of government, especially the Judiciary, in the event of any challenge.”

President Tinubu has since thanked both Arms of the National Assembly for their patriotism in approving the steps he took in Rivers State.

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

“The reaction by stakeholders in the Niger Delta, including militants, was triggered by the Minister for FCT, Chief Nyesom Wike, who dismissed Ijaws as a minority of the minorities and powerless in the Nigerian polity”

Suspended Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara,has broken his silence on the serious allegations made against him by President Bola Tinubu and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.

In his nationwide broadcast on Tuesday during which he proclaimed a State of Emergency in Rivers State, suspended Fubara, his Deputy Dr Ngozi Odu, Members of the State House of Assembly, and appointed  a Sole Administrator, retired Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, Tinubu literally accused Fubara of committing impeachable offences and held him responsible for the crisis which culminated in the declaration of the State of Emergency in the State.

The President accused Fubara of not sticking to the agreements he, (Tinubu) reached with both parties- Fubara and the loyalists of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike; of pulling down the State House of Assembly Complex to abort his impeachment in October 2024, and making no effort to rebuild same; of not condemning the threats issued a couple of times by angry Ijaw Groups to disrupt  oil exploration in the region; of encouraging them to blow up oil installations, and of not condemning the act when two oil facilities were blown up a couple of days ago.

And, AFG Fagbemi, while justifying the State of Emergency declared and the suspension from office of the Governor and others was more direct in his allegations against Fubara as concerns the explosions that rocked the oil facilities. He accused Fubara of teleguiding those who blew up the facilities.

But Fubara, who has not said much since after his suspension from office has now responded and said nothing could be more unjust, unfair and far from the truth than the allegations against him. He submitted that the opposite is in fact the truth. He, also, pointed accusing fingers at Wike for teleguiding the House of Assembly Members to commit damning offences against his Government, of avoiding peace.

He explained the circumstances which led to the demolition of the Assembly complex and revealed it began when Wike was Governor. He  pointed out that since it was pulled down based on professional advice, his Government had since embarked on the erection of a new complex which is 80 per cent completed. Wike, he posited, should be held responsible for the deliberate disruption of the State. He said more.

Outrage greeted the President’s action but the National Assembly, as expected, on Thursday, endorsed the the President’s action.

Following is Fubara’s response, signed on his behalf by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi.

ALLEGED COMPLICITY IN ATTACKS ON OIL INSTALLATIONS: PUTTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT

“Our attention has been drawn to a number of allegations claiming that Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, did nothing to dissuade criminal groups and militants from making good their threats to attack oil installations in the State.

“There was also another claim that after demolishing the Hallowed Chambers of the State House of Assembly on Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, the Governor did nothing to rebuild the facility.

“Ordinarily, we would have ignored the statements as mere results of lack of adequate information to the Presidency by those tasked with the responsibility of providing same to guide decision-making, but it has become imperative to set the records straight and correct the erroneous impression such narratives are creating in the minds of the Nigerian people.

“First, it is important to clarify that Governor Fubara has nothing to do with the threats by militants and also did not in any way “telegraph” the reported attacks on any oil facility in the State.

“It is on record that the reaction of stakeholders in the Niger Delta, especially elders, chiefs, women, Ijaw National Congress, its youth wing, IYC, as well as militants, among others, was triggered by remarks by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, in a live media chat, during which he dismissed Ijaws as a minority of the minorities and powerless in the Nigerian polity, saying that Ijaws are not the only ones that are militants and can blow up pipelines; that Ogonis, Ikwerres, and others are also militants and can as well blow up pipelines.

“Most of the Ijaw groups and leaders even demanded an apology from the FCT Minister, which he rebuffed.

“Available public records show that Governor Fubara, on several occasions and at every forum, including all the project commissioning events as well as the handover of the AW139 Helicopter to the Nigerian Air Force, between March 3 and 13, 2025, made it clear that his administration was committed to the peace, security, and safety of oil facilities in the State.

“He often recalled his pivotal role as a member of the Presidential Committee on the Protection of Oil Installations in the Region, and repeatedly emphasized the need to protect oil pipelines and other facilities in the State, urging his supporters and the people of the State to avoid acts capable of destabilizing the State or sabotaging the nation’s economy.

“Since inception as the Chief Executive of Rivers State, Governor Fubara has prioritized investment in upscaling the welfare and operational equipment of all personnel and arms of the Armed Forces and security agencies in the State by building livable office and residential accommodation for officers and men and donating vehicles, gunboats, helicopters, and other critical needs of the formations to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the performance of their duties.

“His commitment to total peace and good governance in the State has contributed significantly to increased oil production and revenues for the country since May 29, 2023, as the continuous rise in the accruable revenue from the State into the Federation Account has shown over the months.

“On the claim that the Governor acted with impunity to demolish the Hallowed Chambers of the State House of Assembly and did nothing to rebuild the Chambers 14 months after, it is on record that Governor Fubara acted based on professional advice and guidance.

“Let it be clarified that the former Governor and now FCT Minister repeatedly criticized the dilapidated and leaking Assembly Complex, and during the commissioning of the Assembly Quarters in August 2022, challenged the lawmakers to take responsibility for the poor state of the edifice, rejecting requests to rebuild it to ensure a conducive legislative environment for the lawmakers.

“It must be noted that immediately after the incident of October 29, 2023, and experts’ reports, the Government decided to heed the age-old demands of the lawmakers to rebuild the facility and promptly demolished the dilapidated structure to give way to a state-of-the-art Assembly Complex, which is now nearly 80 percent completed.

“It would be recalled that in the wake of the most peaceful and violence-free Local Government election in the State on the 5th October, 2024, the supporters of the FCT Minister violently attacked and razed facilities in some local government council secretariats without any reprisals from Governor Fubara’s supporters.

“It is also pertinent to draw the attention of security agencies to the fact that LGAs where those attacks were unleashed are the same places that have repeatedly witnessed violence perpetrated by detractors of the Governor Fubara-led administration.

“This is why it is important for the security agencies to focus on the real purveyors of violence, critically evaluate these incidents, and diligently undertake investigations to unravel the elements behind the crimes and bring them to justice without let or hindrance.

“It is clearly untrue that somebody who has all the while preached peace and non-violence, even in the face of extreme provocations, would be “telegraphing attacks on oil pipelines” and breaching the peace he has worked so hard to promote and sustain for the good of the people of the State.”

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Fubara’s whereabouts, unknown alleges PANDEF

The South-south Elders  Forum on Thursday, March 20, 2025, expressed serious regrets and shock over the open bias of President Bola Tinubu in the Rivers state political crisis.

This is even as the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, raised the alarm over the whereabouts and safety of suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The Source reports that the President on Tuesday imposed a six-month State of Emergency on Rivers state. He, also, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy, Dr Ngozi Odu, and Members of the State House of Assembly from office.

President Tinubu had cited, according to him, the near-complete  breakdown of law and order, occasioned by the supremacy battle between the executive and legislative arms of Government as  major reasons.

The disagreement between the two arms of Government  was a direct fall out from the estranged relationship between Nyesom Wike,  the FCT Minister, and Governor Fubara, his erstwhile political godson.

The two chambers of the National Assembly on Thursday, brushed aside wide spread opposition from Nigerians to ratify the controversial proclamation of State of emergency.

The president, however, in his nationwide broadcast heaped all the blame for the protracted Rivers state political crisis on the door steps of the Governor.

Conversely, President Tinubu completely exonerated his super Minister, Wike, from any culpability in the smearing impasse, a narrative which his Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, reinforced at a  media briefing at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday.

But in a statement jointly  issued on Thursday by former Governor Rufus Ada-George, former Deputy Governor of the State  Dr Gabriel Toby ,Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively, the South-south Elders Forum noted said that it is disturbing for the President to portray Governor Fubara as the sole progenitor and purveyor of the crisis in the State.

The  Forum said it is disappointed with the President’s narrative signposting the Governor as being in breach of the eight point Agenda entered into at the Presidential Villa, as well as the terms of the Supreme Court judgment.

The Forum expressed shock and surprise that the President could gloat over the roles of the FCT Minister and his men in the State House of Assembly in fomenting and sustaining the crisis in the State.

The South-south elders described the disposition and action of the President as not only unfair, but manifestly unjust.

“By doing so, the President has created a narrative that places the blame solely on the Governor which is not the true position of events.

“This biased perspective overlooks the role of the law makers, acting apparently under the influence, and direction of the Minister of the FCT, thus perpetuating an unjust and one-sided view of the situation”, the Forum stated.

The elders alleged that the Lawmakers, acting on Wike’s behest, severally frustrated  efforts by the Governor to implement the Supreme court rulings.

According to the  Forum, the uncooperative stance of the Legislators was part of a  well- rehearsed script to justify the imposition of a State of Emergency.

However, the Elders expressed concern that the President’s speech has served to misinform the public, thereby, creating an inaccurate narrative about the situation in Rivers state.

“We  therefore,  wish to align with the position of the  Nigerian Bar Association, Afenifere , Ohaneze Ndigbo, Arewa Consultative Forum, Pan Niger Delta Forum, Ijaw National Congress, and other pro-democratic organizations and individuals across the country and beyond in condemning the unconstitutional, undemocratic and uncivilized invasion of Rivers State.

“To this end, we urge all like-minded individuals,who champion good over evil to recognize that the threat to one part of Nigeria today may become a reality elsewhere in the country tomorrow.

“We, therefore, invite all peace loving Nigerians to join us in this fight for social justice and political freedom”, the  elders forum emphasized.

A leader of PANDEF, Anabs Sara-Igbe,  on Thursday claimed that all efforts to locate and establish contact with the Governor Fubara ever since the announcement of the State of Emergency have proved futile.

Following the imposition of emergency rule, the Governor, with the family had  vacated the Government House.