Obi Faults Rivers Emergency Rule, Urges Leaders to Learn From Mistakes

By: Aremu Toyeebaht

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has cautioned against the misuse of emergency powers in Nigeria, describing the six-month suspension of democratic institutions in Rivers State as a constitutional breach that damaged public trust in governance.

Obi, in a statement via his X handle on Thursday, urged Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, Speaker Martins Amaewhule, and other political stakeholders in the state to turn the crisis into an opportunity for reconciliation.

“A true leader is the one who admits his/her mistakes, is smart enough to learn from them, and strong enough to correct them,” Obi wrote. “I just hope that some lessons were learned by all the gladiators in the Rivers State impasse. The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.”

President Bola Tinubu declared the emergency on March 18, 2025, suspending the governor, his deputy, and the state legislature amid escalating tensions between Fubara and his predecessor, now FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. He appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) as Sole Administrator, invoking Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution.

Tinubu lifted the rule on Wednesday, saying intelligence showed a “groundswell of a new spirit of understanding” among stakeholders, clearing the path for a return to democracy.

But Obi argued the intervention stretched constitutional limits, warning that Nigeria’s democracy risks erosion if such measures become a political tool rather than a response to genuine threats to public safety or national security.

Congratulating the people of Rivers for their “endurance in the face of provocations,” Obi called for restraint and dialogue as the state resumes democratic governance.

“Be assured that a new Nigeria is possible and inevitable,” he added.

Political observers say Obi’s remarks amplify ongoing national debates about constitutionalism, accountability, and the long-term implications of Tinubu’s intervention in Rivers State.