President Bola Tinubu must reinstate Governor Siminalayi Fubara before the expiration of the six-month emergency rule in Rivers State, warns Awaji-Inombek Abiante, the lawmaker representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Sunday, Abiante called for the intervention of the Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee to mediate the escalating crisis. He expressed concerns over the reliability of intelligence that led to Tinubu’s controversial decision, suggesting it may have been manipulated.
The suspension of Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the entire Rivers State House of Assembly, coupled with the appointment of retired naval chief Ibok-Ete Ibas as sole administrator, has ignited heated debates. Abiante insists the move is a dangerous precedent and urges the President to consider dialogue instead of force.
The lawmaker also challenged claims that Fubara neglected efforts to rebuild the demolished state assembly complex, pointing to ongoing construction supervised by a new administrator. He cautioned that allowing the crisis to persist could fuel unrest, emphasizing that Rivers State plays a vital role in Nigeria’s economic stability.
