Taking The Course of Anarchy | Rivers State Crisis by Odiawa Ai

Since Lead Representative Siminalayi Fubara assumed office in May 2023, Rivers State has been a political tinderbox prepared to detonate. Renewed strains inundated the oil-rich state otherwise known as the Garden City, when the tenure of the 23 local government chairmen and councilors lapsed. While the chairmen refused to vacate office, Fubara and his allies ejected them. In the ensuing conflicts between rival allies, a police officer, and a vigilante member were maimed at Eberi-Omuma in Omuma LG secretariat.

Underpinning the battle for supremacy for the soul of Rivers is the political rivalry between Fubara and his estranged godfather, Nyesom Wike, the former Lead Representative of the state. Wike, presently the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), backed Fubara as his replacement in the 2023 political race.

Aside from Eleme, Port Harcourt City, and Obio/Akpor LGAs, 20 chairmen, including resolute loyalists of Wike, had resisted their eviction after spending three years at the helm. They claim that, in light of a recent law established by the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly, their tenures were stretched out by a half year. Amaewhule is the factional Speaker of the assembly and is loyal to Wike.

The tenure elongation is blatantly illegal. It is not known to the law.

Thus, Fubara loyalists and the police helped dislodged the petitioners. Fubara swore in 23 new caretaker chairpersons to head the LGs. To boycott a total breakdown of law and order, the police denied the evicted LG chairmen and the caretaker chairpersons' admittance to the LG secretariats.

To circumvent the police action, Fubara advised the caretaker persons to work outside the LG secretariats.

The entrenchment of caretaker chairpersons instead of elected ones, like in Oyo, Plateau, and Benue states, by the Lead Representatives is likewise unlawful. Fubara ought to be wary of toeing this path. He ought to conduct free, fair, and transparent LG elections.

The appointment of caretaker chairpersons at LGs is viewed as a ploy by Lead Representatives to control and solidify power, control revenues accrued to LGs, and reward loyalists.

This worry has prompted a subsisting litigation on LG autonomy. The Federal Government sued the 36 states in May at the Supreme Court. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, sought the court to forestall state Lead Representatives from singularly, with no obvious end goal in mind, and unlawfully dissolving democratically elected LG executives. The centre depicts it as an abuse of power.

Tensions keep on rising in Rivers as Fubara and Wike constantly clash to wrest political power. In 2023, the RSHA was bombed ahead of impeachment proceedings against Fubara. President Bola Tinubu had intervened in the rift in December. This led to a peace deal, forestalled impeachment proceedings against Fubara by lawmakers, and restored some Wike allies to positions of power. The peace deal broke down this year when some commissioners gave up office.

Aside from being one of Nigeria’s highest revenue earners and one of the few financially viable states, Rivers is unpredictable. It has a history of oil hostility and illegal crude oil operations. Fubara and Wike ought to proceed cautiously before plunging the state on a course of anarchy.

In dealing with the crisis, security operatives must be nonpartisan, focusing on their statutory duties of protecting lives and property.

Although the crisis remains within the purview of the police, other security agencies, particularly the Department of State Services (DSS), and the military, must not be deployed as a willing tool by politicians.