*Says Rivers Emergency Declaration Will Escalate, Not Resolve Political Feud
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Former Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Austin Tam-George, has strongly criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it an unconstitutional power grab designed to favor Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike. He warned that the move would escalate rather than resolve the ongoing political crisis, further deepening instability in the state.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on March 18, 2025, Tam-George expressed disappointment over the President’s decision to suspend Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months, citing security concerns. According to Tinubu, reported cases of pipeline vandalization and unrest necessitated the emergency declaration.
However, Tam-George dismissed these claims as a mere excuse, arguing that the crisis had been orchestrated by Wike and his loyalists to justify federal intervention. He recalled that since October 2024, pro-Wike forces had allegedly incited violence, including the burning of local government offices, as part of a strategy to destabilize the state and create a pretext for emergency rule.
The former commissioner accused President Tinubu of partisanship, claiming that his intervention in the Rivers crisis had always favored Wike at Fubara’s expense. He pointed to the President’s earlier eight-point resolution in December 2023, which he said was overwhelmingly against the sitting governor, while Wike, whom he called the “main orchestrator” of the crisis, was not subjected to any conditions.
“The President is not a neutral arbiter. His eight-point resolution was against Fubara, and now this evening’s emergency declaration further confirms that he is actively supporting Wike,” Tam-George stated.
He criticized Tinubu’s failure to mention Wike’s role in the crisis during his broadcast, describing the omission as a deliberate attempt to shield Wike from accountability.
Tam-George framed the Rivers crisis as more than just a political feud, describing it as an ideological struggle between Governor Fubara’s pro-people governance model and Wike’s desire to maintain control over the state’s resources.
“Governor Fubara wants to use Rivers’ resources to invest in education, housing, and agriculture. On the other hand, Wike wants to dictate how the state’s funds are spent, ensuring they serve his personal political ambitions, including a future presidential bid. This is the real battle,” he said.
He warned that the emergency declaration was part of a broader APC-led political strategy to consolidate power in the South-South and Southeast, amid growing opposition to the ruling party in northern states like Kano, Kaduna, and Katsina.
Tam-George also raised concerns about reports of a military takeover of the Rivers State Government House, indicating that the federal government had already begun enforcing the emergency rule.
“I have received footage of military personnel entering the Government House in Rivers State. This will likely aggravate the situation rather than restore order,” he warned.
Calling it the “saddest day” for Rivers people since the state’s creation in 1967, he described the emergency rule as a direct assault on democracy and the will of the people.
When asked about possible resolutions to the crisis, Tam-George expressed skepticism, arguing that the federal government, with Wike’s influence, had a vested interest in maintaining the political turmoil.
“I don’t see this matter being resolved anytime soon. The APC, led by President Tinubu, has an interest in this fight, and they will not allow normalcy to return easily,” he concluded.
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