Politics
Accord Party Suffers Set Back In Rivers
Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly voting on the floor of the House, recently.
Indication emerged that with the joining of 43 political parties to form a Government of National Unity (GNU) with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Accord Party may have suffered a set back in its struggle to gain relevance in the state.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Forum of Organised Opposition Political Parties at the weekend in Port Harcourt, Chief Davies Ikanya, chairman of the forum, stated that the body will provide a new improved opposition politics for the state.
Ikanya urged other remaining opposition political parties to join the unity government in order to deliver the state from political bondage.
He reasoned that the ruling party under Rt Hon Chuibuike Rotimi Amaechi has demonstrated cross-party friendship, which he said, should provide other political parties in the state to join hands to right the wrongs.
According to him, other opposition political parties should sheath their sword and build on the friendship already in existence in the PDP led administration in the state.
He commended the ruling party under the Rt. Hon Chibuike Amaechi for the wonderful work he is doing in virtually every facet of the people lives in the state.
Ikanya also outlined the aims of the Forum of Organised Opposition Political Party to restore glory and integrity of the state by encouraging participatory true democracy.
Also speaking, the Secretary to the State Government, Hon Magnus Abe assured the organised opposition political parties that the government is ready to consider nomination from the opposition when the executive council is reconstituted.
Abbe, who represented the state governor commended the forum of organised opposition political parties for joining the GNU, adding that, the government will cooperate to guarantee an enviable democratic environment, where one-man one-vote counts.
He called on the orgainsed opposition political parties to partner with the government to ensure free and fair election in future.
The Tide gathered that the forum of organised opposition political parties was born on 26th April, 2009, when political parties under the auspices of the coalition of Registered Political Parties in Rivers State led by Chief Alaye Harry and those under the auspices conference on Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) led by Chief Tamuno Roberts, came together to discuss the prospect of electoral loss, unity government and the need to stimulate cooperation among opposition political parties.
The gathering was a role call of who is who in the political arena in the state. The political Big Wigs include Prince Tonye J.T.J. Princewill, leader and Chairman of Board of Trustees, Chief Davies Ibiama Ikanya, Barr. Ledum Mittee, (Chairman/Technical Committee on Niger Delta), Chairmen of political parties and members of political parties across the 23 local government areas.
The president made the assertion on Wednesday in Abuja during a news conference organised by the association ahead of the NBA Section on Legal Practice’s (NBA-SLP) annual conference.
According to Mr Osigwe, the problem in Rivers State was caused by the ego of the principal actors in refusing to sit down to find a solution that works for the people of Rivers.
“Blaming the Supreme Court or any other body will not solve the problem. If the actors had placed Rivers above their own personal interests and cared about the security and welfare of the people, we would not be where we are. It became an ego fight and an issue of who wins. So, ego is at the base of the problem in Rivers and not the Supreme Court.
“People get judgements from the court and still decide to go for an amicable solution, so it is not the judgement of the Supreme Court but the principal actors that are to be blamed,’’ Mr Osigwe said.
He added that while the NBA was not in a legal argument with the president, the association was of the view that some of the actions taken might not be supported by the constitution.
“We are of the opinion that Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution cannot be read in isolation from Section 11 of the same constitution. There have been killings in many states in Nigeria and much more breakdown of law and order than we have seen in Rivers but no state of emergency was declared in those states. We are of the view that the problem in Rivers can be solved by the principal actors swallowing their egos and putting the welfare and security of the people of Rivers above their personal interests.
“This declaration may not solve the problem in Rivers and it worries me that an administrator can be appointed and worse still, a retired military officer to administer the state. It is unconstitutional and should not be supported because we may be setting a dangerous precedence,’’ Mr Osigwe said.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Paul Harris Ogbole, (SAN), said that the theme for the 2025 NBA-SLP Conference was “Uncommon challenges in a rapidly changing legal environment.’’
Mr Ogbole said the conference aimed to explore the contemporary challenges evolving in the legal environment.
He said they would also explore the impact of global interconnectedness on legal systems, the growing demand for specialised legal services and provide insights into navigating the legal frontiers.
The conference will also highlight great opportunities for legal practitioners including the development of legal technological solutions, the expansion of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and the increasing focus on access to justice and legal empowerment.
The conference will hold in Jos from April 24 to April 27.
The president also cited the destruction of pipelines by suspected militants as a contributing factor to the declaration.
However, Anabs Sara-Igbe, a chieftain of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, disagreed with the president’s action on the emergency rule.
He stated that all avenues for mediation should have been exhausted before resorting to an emergency rule.
“President Tinubu’s invocation of Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution at this time is inappropriate. The president claims to have declared a state of emergency to restore peace, but the real question is: why is the FCT minister Nyesom Wike, the key figure in the crisis, not suspended?”, he queried.
Chief Sara-Igbe said the president’s suspension of Rivers’ elected officials from office was unconstitutional.
“Unlike in Sokoto, Borno, and other northern states, there is no war or loss of lives in Rivers that warrants the declaration of emergency rule in a peaceful state,’’ Chief Sara-Igbe explained.
He, however, accused the president of not being sincere with the people of Rivers State and had taken sides in the crisis through his actions and comments.
Ann-Kio Briggs, a prominent environmental and human rights activist, also decried President Tinubu’s justification for the emergency declaration, particularly his claim that Gov Fubara failed to brief him or condemn the pipeline explosions.
She stated that Gov Fubara had, on multiple occasions, informed the president of developments in the state.
“On March 11, PANDEF met with the president to brief him and seek his intervention; the group had also made efforts to mediate peace between Fubara and Wike,” Ms Briggs said, adding, “So, for President Tinubu to give the impression that no efforts were made to resolve the crises is misleading.”
Ms Briggs said the president’s reference to pipeline attacks as a basis for the state emergency was not convincing since pipelines had been vandalised for decades in Niger Delta without such drastic measures being taken.
She acknowledged that while the president had the power to declare a state of emergency, he did not have the constitutional authority to suspend an elected governor.
“This decision is hasty, rash, and premeditated, posing a grave threat to the people of the state; it is a targeted plot against Governor Fubara. It is unacceptable,” Ms Briggs added.
She also referenced Chief Wike’s past remarks on TV, where he allegedly claimed to have the capacity to sabotage pipelines, and questioned why the minister was not suspended.
“Why wasn’t the minister suspended, considering he is a major player in the crises and the one the 27 lawmakers take instructions from?” Ms Briggs noted.
Tonye Cole, the APC governorship candidate in the 2023 Rivers election, blamed all political actors involved.
“Today is a dark day in Rivers politics; the president had no choice but to step in to address the situation. I believe the president made some attempts to resolve the issues, but he did not push hard enough to bring the matter to a peaceful conclusion,” Mr Cole said.
The Tide source reports that two female members shouted at each other over the political crisis in the South-South State.
The two female lawmakers, Marie Ebikake (PDP, Bayelsa) and Blessing Amadi (PDP, Rivers), engaged in a shouting match on the constitutionality of the President’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.
This happened before the commencement of the plenary.
It took the intervention of other lawmakers in the chamber to prevent the issue from snowballing into an uncontrollable situation.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following the prolonged political crisis in the state.
The president also suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly for six months.
President Tinubu also nominated a former Chief Of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), to administer the state.
Reacting, the spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Akin Rotimi, said President Tinubu informed the national assembly through a letter before the emergency proclamation.
Hon. Rotimi added that President Tinubu’s letter informing the House of his decision and seeking approval on the state of emergency in Rivers in line with section 305 of the Constitution had been transmitted to the green chamber and would be read during plenary on Wednesday for further legislative action.
He said President Tinubu met with the leadership of both chambers, and the National Security Adviser and Service Chiefs before the broadcast.