Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has urged political leaders in Rivers State to reflect on the six-month emergency rule imposed earlier this year, describing it as a damaging constitutional misstep.
In a statement posted on his official X handle on Thursday, September 18, Obi said, “The restoration of democracy in Rivers State after six months of needless disruption remains a sour side of our democracy today. It was a constitutional breach that will hurt our democracy for a long time.”
The former Anambra Governor stressed the importance of learning from mistakes, adding, “I just hope that some lessons were learned by all the gladiators in the Rivers State impasse.
“Great minds remind us that ‘The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.’ A true leader is the one who admits his/her mistakes, is smart enough to learn from them, and is strong enough to correct them.”
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Obi also commended the people of Rivers State for their patience, saying, “I would like to congratulate the good people of Rivers State for their endurance in the face of provocations.”
He further appealed to state leaders to embrace unity and work for the progress of the state, stating, “And to appeal to Governor Similaya Fubara, the members of the state House of Assembly and all the political leaders in the state to embrace peace and forge ahead.
“The real mistake is the one where we end up learning nothing. Be assured that a new Nigeria is possible and inevitable.”
The comments come as Rivers State prepares to fully resume democratic governance following the expiration of the emergency rule declared by President Bola Tinubu in March 2025, which suspended the governor, deputy governor, and state lawmakers for six months amid a governance crisis.