Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, has issued a stern call to political leaders in Rivers State, urging them to embrace reconciliation following the suspension of the emergency rule that recently gripped the state.
Obi said the emergency proclamation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, though legal under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, amounted to a constitutional breach since there was no immediate or grave threat to public order at the time.
On March 18, 2025, Tinubu declared the emergency, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu. A retired naval officer, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, was appointed sole administrator.
However, Tinubu lifted the emergency powers on Wednesday, noting that intelligence reports showed “a new spirit of understanding” was emerging in Rivers politics.
Obi, reacting the next day via X (formerly Twitter), reminded Rivers leaders that true leadership lies in admitting mistakes and learning from them.
“I just hope that some lessons were learned by all the gladiators in the Rivers State impasse,” Obi said. “A true leader is the one who admits his/her mistakes, is smart enough to learn from them, and is strong enough to correct them.”
He further congratulated Rivers residents for showing patience despite “provocations” during the crisis and appealed to Governor Fubara, lawmakers, and political stakeholders to embrace peace.
The crisis, which has dragged for months, traces its roots to a political battle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Their face-off led to factionalism in the State Assembly and allegations of sabotage that destabilized governance.
According to Obi, the suspension of the emergency powers should be a sober reminder that democracy only thrives when political actors respect the Constitution and place the people above personal interests.
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