A democratic advocacy group, the Coalition of Civil Society in Defence of Democracy, has called on President Bola Tinubu to take urgent steps toward resolving the political crisis in Rivers State by establishing a reconciliation committee within 14 days.
This comes in response to Tinubu’s 18th of March, 2025, nationwide broadcast, where he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State.
Justifying his decision, the President stated that he was “greatly disturbed about the political crisis” in the state, accusing Governor Sim Fubara of demolishing the State House of Assembly building.
As a result, Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, were suspended for an initial period of six months.
In their place, a retired Vice Admiral, Ibokette Ibas, was appointed as Administrator to oversee the state’s affairs during the emergency rule.
However, Tinubu’s declaration has sparked criticism, with many questioning the legality and propriety of his decision.
While some view it as a necessary intervention, others believe it could further escalate tensions.
In a statement released on the 24th of March, 2025, the Coalition of Civil Society in Defence of Democracy expressed concern that the state of emergency would only lead to a “forced peace” thereby prolonging the crisis in Rivers State.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the coalition’s convener, Dr. Olayemi Isaacs, warned that the emergency rule would only push the key players in the crisis into hiding, preventing a transparent resolution.
According to Isaacs, “genuine peace can only come to the oil-rich state through reconciliatory steps taken in a truly democratic setting.”
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The coalition criticized Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency, stating that it validated the ugly practice of corrupt political godfatherism by siding with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, Fubara’s predecessor.
The group further alleged that “Wike’s overbearing rent-seeking behaviour was the root cause of the crisis in Rivers State.”
To restore normalcy, the coalition urged President Tinubu to immediately set up a panel of non-partisan eminent Nigerians to mediate between the rival parties in the Rivers State crisis. The coalition insisted that: “The mediatory efforts must be concluded within 60 days so that the state of emergency can be lifted within 90 days of its declaration.”
“Allowing it to run longer than this period will compound the problem in the state in a way that will threaten and possibly jeopardize Nigeria’s democracy.”
The coalition further warned that if urgent action was not taken, the crisis could spread beyond Rivers State, affecting Nigeria’s democratic stability.
It called on political parties to take control of conflicts among their members in other states, cautioning that failure to do so could lead to further suspensions of democratic structures.
“Where political parties fail to heed this counsel, they can be assured that there will not be many states left under democratic rule before the 2027 General Elections.”
With tensions high, the spotlight is now on Tinubu’s administration. Will he heed the call for reconciliation, or will the state of emergency drag on, fueling further political uncertainty?