CRISIS OR COUP? NIGERIA’S PRESIDENT SUSPENDS OIL-RICH RIVERS STATE’S GOVERNOR IN UNPRECEDENTED POWER GRAB

By Baknakio Armstrong

A ‘State of Emergency’ or a Political Coup? Nigeria’s Rivers State Takeover Sparks Controversy

Nigeria is no stranger to political crises, but President Bola Tinubu’s abrupt suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his lawmakers has sent shockwaves across the country.

The Official Justification: Vandalism and Political Deadlock

In his national address, Tinubu justified his six-month suspension of the elected governor, state lawmakers, and key officials by citing:

• A political standoff between Governor Fubara and lawmakers backed by his predecessor.
• An attempted impeachment of Fubara over alleged budgetary violations.
• Fresh incidents of oil pipeline vandalism, including a major fire on the Trans Niger Pipeline within the last 24 hours.

With these issues at play, Tinubu insisted that “no good and responsible president” could allow the chaos to continue without intervention.

But is this really about security or is it a pretext for consolidating political power in one of Nigeria’s wealthiest and most strategically important states?

The Suspicious Timing of Tinubu’s Intervention

Rivers State is Nigeria’s oil hub, producing over 40% of the country’s crude output. Control over this state means control over billions in oil revenue.

Here’s where the situation gets even murkier:

• This is the first emergency rule declared in over a decade the last time being during the Boko Haram insurgency in 2013, when entire regions were under terrorist control.
• Despite past governors remaining in power during emergencies, Tinubu has completely suspended the elected government in Rivers.
• Military trucks immediately surrounded the Government House, and a former navy chief, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (ret.), was installed as the state’s new military administrator.

Critics including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) are calling Tinubu’s move unconstitutional. “A declaration of emergency does not automatically dissolve or suspend elected state governments,” said NBA President Afam Osigwe, warning of a dangerous precedent for Nigerian democracy.

A Political Power Play Disguised as Governance?

Many see this as less about law and order and more about political dominance. Fubara, who belongs to the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has been at odds with lawmakers loyal to his predecessor and Tinubu ally, Nyesom Wike.

By removing Rivers’ elected leadership and militarizing the state, Tinubu has effectively neutralized opposition forces in a region crucial to Nigeria’s economy.

What Next?

With Rivers State under military control, serious questions arise:

• Is Tinubu setting a precedent for overriding governors he doesn’t like?
• Could this spark a larger crisis, with other states resisting presidential overreach?
• Will Nigeria’s fragile democracy survive another era of political strong-arming?

One thing is clear: What happens in Rivers won’t stay in Rivers. If Tinubu’s maneuver goes unchallenged, this could be the beginning of a dangerous shift in Nigerian governance where political crises justify the sidelining of elected leaders.