•PDP youth leaders decry action 

•State gets new SSG, Head of Service

•Lawyer asks court to sack Ibas as sole administrator, group oppose same in LGs

Emmanuel Addeh, Alex Enumah in Abuja and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

National Association of Seadogs (NAS), otherwise known as the Pyrates Confraternity, has decried the way in which the National Assembly affirmed the state of emergency in Rivers State, saying the use of the voice votes mechanism questions the intent behind such a critical decision by the federal government.

Similarly, the Forum of Youth Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), yesterday, condemned the state of emergency in Rivers State declared by President Bola Tinubu, describing it as unconstitutional.

Nonetheless, President Bola Tinubu’s Sole Administrator in Rivers State, Ibot-Ette Ibas, appointed Professor Ibibia Worika, as the new Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) and Dr Iyingi Brown as Acting Head of Service.

In a related development, an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Mr Johnmary Jideobi, asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to nullify the appointment of Ibas as sole administrator for Rivers State.

A pressure group under the aegis of Simplified Movement, advised Ibas not to proceed with his alleged plan to appoint sole administrators in the local government areas of the state, saying it is against the constitution of Nigeria.

NAS, in a statement by its Capn, Dr Joseph Oteri, said the use of the “ayes and nays” voice vote mechanism, rather than a transparent, recorded vote, raised serious questions about due process, democratic accountability, and the intent behind the critical decision.

It said a matter as weighty as the imposition of emergency rule, which directly affected millions of Nigerians’ lives, rights, and governance, should not be subjected to a hasty, opaque process.

The statement read, “The National Assembly has a constitutional duty to ensure that decisions of this magnitude are reached through proper debate, individual voting, and public scrutiny.

“It is unacceptable that such an important resolution could be decided through a mere chorus of voices, leaving room for ambiguity and manipulation.”

The association urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider his decision in light of the fundamental democratic principles underpinning the nation.

The statement said, “The president should also ensure that he is fair to the two parties involved in the Rivers crisis. The resort to emergency rule risks escalating tensions rather than resolving the ongoing political crisis.”

NAS charged elders of the Niger Delta to take urgent steps to resolve the political impasse in Rivers State.

It stated, “Instead of an emergency declaration, we call upon the elders and respected stakeholders of the state to rise to the occasion and initiate genuine reconciliation among all warring factions.

“Political actors must set aside their differences and prioritise the state’s peace, stability, and development. Dialogue, not forceful interventions, remains the most effective tool for conflict resolution in a democracy.

“The National Association of Seadogs remains committed to justice, the rule of law, and democratic accountability. We stand firmly against any attempt to undermine the democratic will of the people under the guise of emergency governance.

“Nigeria must not be pushed down a path that erodes its hard-earned democratic values. We call on all well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organizations, and the international community to closely monitor this situation and insist on a democratic resolution that respects the people’s will.”

PDP Youth Leaders Condemn Action

The Forum of PDP Youth Leaders in the 36 states and FCT said the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State not only violated the principles of democracy but also represented a troubling attempt to undermine the authority of a state governed by PDP.

According to the group, the move is “an orchestrated effort to dismantle the democratic structures that our party tirelessly establishes and maintains”.

In a statement jointly signed by its Gombe State Chairman, Jamilu Kalshingi, and Brown Odeh from Cross River State, the group said imposition of a state of emergency was not just a localised issue, but a threat to the foundational principles of governance across Nigeria.

The PDP youth leaders stated, “By attempting to transition Nigeria into a one-party system, the president plays a perilous game that endangers the political pluralism essential for the healthy functioning of our democracy.

“We call upon all citizens and democratic institutions to join us in resisting this undemocratic manoeuvre and to safeguard the integrity of our electoral processes.”

The youth group urged the National Assembly to reflect on the weight of their responsibilities at this critical juncture in the nation’s history in defence of democracy.

The group said, “It is vital that they rise to the occasion and embody the role of accountable leaders, who advocate the interests of Nigerians, particularly the youth who often find themselves marginalised in political discourse.

“We remind them that their mandate is not only to critique the governing party but to actively engage in policy-making that reflects the hopes and aspirations of their constituents. They must serve as a check on the government, ensuring that it remains accountable and transparent.”

Rivers Gets New SSG, Head of Service

The sole administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, appointed Professor Ibibia Worika as the new Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG).

Ibas made the announcement in a statement from Government House, in the early hours of yesterday.

In the statement, the former Chief of Naval Staff said the appointment followed careful consideration of Worika’s credentials, extensive experience, and performance during rigorous selection process.

The new SSG is replacing Dr Tammy Danagogo, who served under the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Ibas also announced Dr Iyingi Brown as Acting Head of Service.

Brown is the Permanent Secretary, Welfare in the office of former Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, who according to the statement from Ibas, had resigned from office.

Ibas thanked Nwaeke for the short period he served under his administration and wished him well.

According to the statement, the appointment of Worika as SSG reflects the administrator’s commitment to harnessing the human capital of the Rivers people to work with him to achieve the much-needed peace, stability and security.

Lawyer Asks Court to Sack Ibas

An Abuja-based lawyer, Mr. Johnmary Jideobi, who asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to nullify Ibas’ appointment, predicated his demand on the grounds that the idea was unconstitutional, null and void.

Jideobi said, in the affidavit in support of the suit, “I have instituted this suit in the public interest, in the defence of the rule of law and accentuation of the supremacy of the constitution and to preserve the integrity of the Nigerian constitution, which is the most sacred document that holds the Nigerian state in balance and in being.

“I am genuinely worried that, in the absence of the intervention of this court, removal of duly elected governors and deputy governors may become the pastime of the president thereby opening the floodgate of anarchy capable of consuming this nation.”

The lawyer argued that while the president was constitutionally empowered to declare a “state of emergency” in any part of the country, he lacked the necessary powers to suspend elected state officials.

The lawyer, who considered the action of the president as illegal, therefore, asked the court to among others, declare as void, “all actions and decisions (howsoever described or made) of the third defendant (Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas) in the name of Sole Administrator of Rivers State, same being unconstitutional, null and of no constitutional force throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria for all purposes.”

The plaintiff further prayed the court to issue a perpetual order of injunction, restraining the first defendant (Tinubu, either by himself, his officers, agents, privies, servants or any other person acting under his command howsoever named), “from either removing, suspending or otherwise tampering with the tenure of the governor and deputy governor of Rivers State [and indeed any other state in Nigeria].”

Jideobi further sought another order of perpetual injunction, barring Tinubu, “either by himself, his officers, agents, privies, servants or any other person acting under his command howsoever named, from appointing any Sole Administrator into any state Government House in the thirty (36) of the Federation for any purpose whatsoever”.

In a 32-paragraph affidavit, he deposed to in support of the suit, the lawyer submitted that he had “never seen the word ‘Sole Administrator’ in the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“I know that neither the first defendant nor the second defendant appointed the governor and deputy governor of Rivers State of Nigeria and that no governor or deputy governor in Nigeria is an appointee of the first and second defendants.”

No date was fixed for hearing of the matter.

Group Oppose Sole Administrators in LGs

A pressure group, Simplified Movement, advised Ibas not to continue with his alleged plan to appoint sole administrators in the local government areas of the state, saying it isagainst the country’s constitution.

The group also rejected the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Professor Ngozi Ordu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, describing it as unconstitutional.

National leader of the group, Sobomabo Jackrich, while speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt, stated that Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution gave the president the power to declare a state of emergency, but did not give him the power to suspend an elected governor.

Jackrich stressed that the action was a clear abuse of power, a threat to democracy, and a dangerous precedent.

According to him, the people of Rivers State elected Fubara, and any attempt to remove him must be done through constitutional means.

The group called on “all well-meaning Nigerians to reject this attack on democracy and demand that the president in his wisdom reverses the declaration, which is against the provisions of our constitution, which he swore to uphold”.

Jackrich, who was the governorship candidate of National Rescue Movement (NRM) in the last general election in the state, stressed that Fubara was unfairly treated.

He said, “President Tinubu ought to have also sanctioned the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, who has featured prominently and actively in this whole political chaos in the state, for the sake of fairness and equity.”

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