Amid the controversy surrounding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson has urged calm, emphasizing the need for a political resolution rather than extreme measures.
Speaking on Arise TV Prime Time on Wednesday, March 19, the former Bayelsa State governor cautioned against interpreting the crisis as an ethnic conflict between the Ijaw and Ikwerre people. Instead, he described it as a “disagreement between father and son” within the political space.
“I don’t want this crisis to be interpreted as a tribal dispute,” Dickson said. “It’s a political dispute between leaders, and we must ensure it does not escalate into ethnic violence.”
Noting that he was confident of a resolution to the situation, he said, “we must be cautious about inflaming tensions.”
President Tinubu’s emergency declaration suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months, citing the prolonged political standoff in the state. While the move has received mixed reactions, legal experts and opposition figures have questioned its constitutionality.
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Dickson referenced past interventions, particularly former President Goodluck Jonathan’s handling of a similar crisis in Nasarawa State, arguing that political negotiation remains the best approach.
“It is not too late for the president to reconsider. Jonathan intervened to halt an impeachment process in Nasarawa, and I believe Tinubu can also take steps to de-escalate this crisis,” he stated.
As protests and legal challenges mount, Dickson warned that suspending a sitting governor under emergency rule could set a dangerous precedent. He called on stakeholders to prioritize dialogue and legal processes to prevent instability in Rivers State.
While the federal government defends its decision as necessary for maintaining order, political analysts believe that how this situation unfolds could have lasting implications for Nigeria’s democracy and governance structure.