Chisom Gbali, the Rivers State Commissioner for Youth under the suspended administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has raised alarm over what he describes as a calculated move to extend the emergency rule currently in place in the state.
In an interview on AriseTV, Gbali accused former Rivers State governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of masterminding efforts to destabilize the state to justify prolonging the emergency rule declared by President Bola Tinubu in March.
“There is a plan to extend it,” Gbali stated, referring to the six-month emergency rule.
“Before it expires, they want to create fresh tension that will push the President into making another pronouncement. And once that happens, it could mark the end of the current administration.”
The emergency rule, imposed following political unrest, led to the suspension of all elected officials in Rivers State. Despite the relative calm that has followed, Gbali questioned the necessity and fairness of the decision, arguing that it was politically motivated.
“All of this is geared toward 2027,” he claimed. “We are shocked that the President is entangled in this kind of local political maneuvering when there are more urgent national issues to address.”
Gbali pointed to inconsistencies in how the federal government handles unrest across the country, asking why Rivers State was targeted for such extreme measures while states battling more serious violence have not seen similar action.
“People are dying daily in Plateau State, yet no emergency rule has been declared there,” he said.
“Meanwhile, in Rivers, where peace has largely returned, we’re under emergency governance. That’s why citizens are calling on the President to reverse his decision.”
He further alleged that those tasked with restoring order in Rivers were instead deepening the crisis.
“Look at the body language, it’s clear. Projects are being sidelined, budgets are being manipulated, and there’s talk of installing sole administrators at the local government level. Is that peacekeeping or political conquest?”
Gbali’s comments add fuel to the ongoing debate over federal interference in state politics and raise concerns about the precedent being set in Rivers State.
As the emergency rule nears its halfway mark, calls for a review, and for a return to democratic governance, are growing louder.
Credit: Politics Nigeria except headline
