President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State earlier this year has been accused by activist and attorney Chetam Nwala of pursuing a political goal rather than stability.
During an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, Nwala made the accusation.
He claimed that rather than resolving the political problem in the oil-rich state, the proclamation of emergency rule was a premeditated political move intended to secure the President’s 2027 reelection goal.
The attorney maintained that the President’s decision had nothing to do with reestablishing peace and order in Rivers State, characterizing it as a tactic to seize political power before the next general election.
“Recall that the declaration of emergency was solely political, as I have always said and will continue to say. According to Nwala, it had little to do with stabilizing the state.
“It was a president trying to ensure that ambition for 2027 is being protected within the body of Rivers State,” he continued.
Tinubu suspended lawmakers and Fubara.
Recall that due to the state’s protracted political instability, President Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly when he imposed a state of emergency in March 2025.
Critics questioned the action’s constitutional basis and political ramifications, sparking broad protests across the nation.
Nwala further asserted that Governor Fubara was politically handicapped by the emergency rule, which compelled him to support the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Naturally, we have witnessed what transpired with the governor. He declared, “The governor has been duped.”
Before joining the APC to collaborate with the President, he continued, Fubara returned to politics “like a wounded and a defeated lion.”
“He has now defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to work with the president after returning home,” he said.
The activist claimed that the President’s primary focus was political allegiance and showed little regard for the economic effects of the emergency rule on Rivers State.
The state of emergency was the reason for all of this. All of this resulted from the President’s aim for 2027, according to Nwala.
Thus, he didn’t give a damn if the Rivers economy was collapsing. His goal was to ensure that the governor joined his party, and they were successful.
