The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Youth Group spokesperson, Dare Glintstone Akinniyi, has explained how President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of state of emergency in Rivers state will favour Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Akinniyi noted that Tinubu has handed the control of Rivers state to Wike and the minister will commence the process of shopping for Rivers governor Siminalayi Fubara’s replacement, after the expiration of the six months suspension.
How Fubara was suspended
Legit.ng reported that on Tuesday, March 18, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers state, citing escalating political unrest and security concerns.
Tinubu also suspended Siminalayi Fubara, Ngozi Odu, his deputy, and all state lawmakers for six months.
The president nominated Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice admiral, as the sole administrator and charged him with the management of the state without enacting new laws.
However, Tinubu’s announcement followed months of escalating tensions between Governor Fubara and his predecessor Nyesom Wike, now FCT minister.
“Tinubu’s state of emergency, a strategy” – Analyst
In an exclusive interview with Legit.ng on Thursday, March 20, Dare Glintstone Akinniyi, maintained that Tinubu’s declaration was a calculated move to strengthen Wike’s influence and undermine the ruling PDP’s strength ahead of the 2027 elections.
Buttressing his point, Akinniyi asserted that Tinubu’s intervention was a strategy for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to regain the state in 2027 through Wike’s assistance.
The PDP chieftain told Legit.ng that:
“Nyesom Wike will now start planning on how to control the State by the expiration of the State of emergency and by extension, be shopping for Fubara’s successor. Minister Wike is happy now that his successor and godson is out of power for Six months and in fact will be praying for an extension of the crisis.
“The APC ,via the help of Nyesom Wike, is working tirelessly to capture the South South region of Nigeria, ahead of 2027 general elections.
“It’s a strategy to distract and destabilize the PDP in that region — and we all know that Rivers State is key for the PDP. We have been in control since 1999 and that has been the trigger of the South South.
“It’s indeed a sad moment for democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria.”
AGF Fagbemi explains why Tinubu declared emergency
Against the backdrop of the developments in Rivers, the attorney-general of the federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, on Wednesday, March 19, spoke to the press at a news conference in Abuja.
“The president came out boldly yesterday to say the situation cannot be allowed to continue, a situation in which the critical economic life of the nation, what is giving lifeline to the nation to be, you know, criminally touched without any response from those who would ordinarily be expected to do so, cannot continue,” the AGF said.
Atiku asks Nigerians to resist state of emergency
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on Thursday, March 20, asked Nigerians should stand up and defend the country’s democracy by resisting the state of emergency imposed in Rivers state by President Bola Tinubu.
