All Progressives Congress (APC), Rivers State chapter, has claimed that the suspension of Governor Sim Fubara, and the recent declaration of state of emergency by President Bola Tinubu saved the state from sliding into anarchy.
Chairman of the State chapter of the party, Tony Okocha, gave the explanation at a press conference held at the APC national headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, lamenting that non-state actors had taken over the State before the declaration.
He said that the Supreme Court ruling and governance activities in the State confirmed that the government of the day was becoming very clueless, especially his ill-advised demolition of the State House of Assembly complex.
He lamented that the situation had taken worsening dimensions with the political crisis metamorphosing into a tribal issue with the Ijaw ethnic region threatening fire and brimstone if Fubara was removed.
“The state of emergency and suspension of Governor Fubara actually saved Rivers State from sliding into anarchy. Many of the non-state actors were seen brandishing guns and making unguided statements.
“We saw it coming because the government of the day was clueless. The Supreme Court added credence to the fact that there was no government in Rivers State. There was no separation of powers in Rivers State because the legislative arm was completely incapacitated,” he argued.
Okocha dismissed the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) describing the state of emergency as an assault against democracy, wondering where the association was when Fubara demolished the State Assembly.
He stated: “NBA has come out to say the declaration of State of emergency in Rivers was an assault or democracy, but where was NBA when the state Assembly was pulled down.
“Rivers State was headed towards anarchy. Non-state actors were brandishing sophisticated ammunition and threatened that if the governor is impeached they will unleash mayhem.”
Asked if Fubara’s suspension was the only antidote for leave, Okocha noted; “For the immediate, it was necessary. The decision of Mr. President was a necessary evil. Whether the impeachment or suspension as it were today, I can tell you that 90 per cent of the political crisis in Rivers was solved.”
Okocha said it would be difficult to predict what would happen after six months of the state of emergency, saying that if the prevailing circumstances endure, the president might not be in a hurry to lift the suspension.
“It will be difficult to say what will happen after six months. Don’t forget the president says six months in the first instance. If the prevailing circumstances now endure, the president would not be in a hurry to take measures to advance that,” Okocha added.
