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Audu Ogbeh, a former minister of agriculture, has faulted the practice of replacing civilian governors with military appointees during state of emergency.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the ex- minister said President Bola Tinubu and his predecessor, Olusegun Obasanjo, had taken similar steps, raising concerns about a return to military-style governance.

Ogbeh warned that the practice could send a damaging message to Nigerians about the ability of civilian leaders to govern themselves.

“The only other thing that I’m asking is: Why is it that each time there is this suspension of a governor, a military person is put back in place?” he asked.

 

“Do we miss military rule or are we suggesting that civilians are incapable of governing themselves?

“Obasanjo did it twice, in fact, thrice, and we have it again. What’s the logic? This is why, in the first place, this whole imposition of a state of emergency should be avoided.

“Since the constitution doesn’t say you can only pick this or that person, the president is free to do so, but it’s also sending a funny signal that civilians can’t do the job themselves.

 

“That’s not a good one. That’s why civilians themselves should be more responsible. Elected individuals should behave themselves and not carry on as if it’s a holiday and that they can do as they wish because they are sending the wrong signal to society.”

On March 18, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers, citing the protracted political crisis and vandalisation of oil facilities.

The president also suspended Siminalayi Fubara, the state governor; Ngozi Odu, his deputy; and members of the state assembly.

Tinubu nominated Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice-admiral, as the sole administrator of Rivers.

 

On March 20, the senate and the house of representatives controversially ratified Tinubu’s request for the emergency rule.

The presidency had said that the decision was to prevent further escalation of the political crisis in the south-south state.

Several stakeholders, including the south-south governors’ forum, have condemned the emergency rule in Rivers.

[TheCable]

Lech Walesa, remember him? He was the Labour union leader who succeeded in forming and leading a broad anti-Communism and anti-Soviet Union mass uprising under the banner of the Solidarity Movement which, in 1989, ended Communist rule in Poland and ushered in a chain of events that led to the disintegration of the behemoth called the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) and brought an end to the Cold War as it was then known - even if temporarily and for a season as recent events appear to demonstrate.

For his efforts, Walesa, an electrician by profession and Polish dockworkers’ union leader, was awarded the Nobel Peace prize, going on to win the 1990 Polish presidential election and becoming the first democratically-elected president of his country (1990 - 1995) since 1926 and the first-ever Polish president elected by popular vote. Recently, I read him complaining about the United States’ President Donald Trump’s alleged (mis)treatment of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the superpower United States’ apparent abandonment of its leadership of the so-called “Free World”. And I began to wonder and ponder.

Who constitutes the Free world? “Freed” and or “free” from what, who? According to Google, the term Free World “refers more broadly to all liberal democracies collectively, as opposed to authoritarian regimes and communist states. It has traditionally primarily been used to refer to the countries allied and aligned with the United States, the European Union, and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation).”

In practice, the Western world, as the US and its economic and military allies are called, are the Free World. These, majorly, are the countries of Western Europe, the United States, and Canada. They are also known as the “West”. They are the "metropoles" or metropolitan powers while other countries allied or aligned to them from the other parts of the world are their satellites. The United States of America, beginning from the end of the Second World War in 1945, leads the hordes. Hence, it is referred to as the leader of the Free World. Derisively and derogatively, it is also jeered at as “the policeman of the world”!

Policing and protecting what, who? Policing and protecting, ostensibly, the sovereignty, territorial integrity, freedom, and liberties of its members and their satellite states against any encroachment from external forces and or factors. It stands to reason that the arch enemies of the Free World are the other side or section of the world that is not “free” and which is assumed to be opposed to the freedom of others. These are the countries whose political, economic, and social systems are opposed to those of the countries of the Free World.

While the countries of the Free World practice capitalism or what they call the free market or deregulated economy and flaunt as democracy the regular election of its leaders by popular vote, their opponents practice a regulated communist or socialist system where the freedom and liberty to run haywire on all fronts and fly on spoils granted by the Free World is reined in to ensure a more equitable distribution of resources towards the establishment of an egalitarian and more just society.

Led by the defunct USSR, Moscow was the metropole while the satellite states were also spread across the world. Until recently, China, then a sleeping giant (to quote the French general, Napoleon Bonaparte), stood aloof from the Cold War that raged between the US and the NATO countries/forces it led on the one hand, and the USSR and the Warsaw Pact countries/forces led by it on the other. Most of the east European countries belonged in the Warsaw Pact/Communist Bloc. They were known as the Communist Bloc or the Eastern Powers. Derisively and derogatively, they have been referred to by the West as the “Evil Empire”.

The disintegration of the USSR in 1991, which resulted in 15 of its constituent republics gaining independence and moving away, one-by-one, from the eastern axis to the western axis, whittled the power and influence of what remained as the rump of the old USSR, which is the Russian Federation, but which, as a superpower, is still strong enough to command immense influence and exert commensurate power in regional and world politics. The meteoric rise of China from the backwoods of superpower politics to the centre stage of power and recognition and its alignment with Russia, so far, has all but ended the sole superpower status enjoyed by the US and its NATO allies in the post-USSR disintegration era.

This is the realisation that must have dawned on Trump but which the likes of Walesa, still marooned in the past and remaining nostalgic of its heroics, want the US to still forge ahead with. The US disastrous policy of policeman of the world is unwelcomed in many parts of the world. Whatever has a beginning must have an end - with the exception of He who is the Alpha and the Omega.

1776 was when America made its declaration of independence. Before then it had been a colony of Great Britain. It also had to fight a civil war, buy and grab territories before it became the behemoth that it is today. Even at that, it was not originally interested in world dominance but in the preservation of the Americas as its own “sphere of influence”, which is the import of the Monroe Doctrine (1823) by the 5th US President James Monroe (1817 - 1825).

If the first World World (1914 -1918) opened the eyes of the US to the fact that it had a role to play in world affairs, the second (1939 - 1945) confirmed to it that it must not only assume the leadership of the (Free) World but also put in place mechanisms to create it in its own image, assiduously preserve it, and beat everyone into line. We have since been in that era - the era of the United Nations Organisation - with the enforcement tools of NATO, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, among others.

“Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains” bemoans the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Little wonder, then, that the battle cry of the French Revolution of 1789 was “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” in its “Declaration of the Rights of Man and of Citizen”. The Americans, in their 1776 Declaration of Independence, stated unequivocally that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

Please, don’t rejoice yet! Whenever the West speak such eloquent words and espouse noble principles that make the hair stand on the body, they mean it only for themselves, the so-called Free World, and not for anyone else! Otherwise, there would have been no centuries of Slave Trade when the human resources of Africa especially were pillaged and carted in the most inhuman, horrid, horrible, and despicable conditions to develop the so-called New World. Walter Rodney’s seminal work, “How Europe underdeveloped Africa” graphically depicts the effects of this inhuman trade on the underdevelopment of Africa and Africans.

Otherwise, too, there would have been no decades of colonization of the African continent following immediately after and the Berlin conference of 1884/1885 where Africa’s head was shaved behind its back (to quote MKO Abiola). There would have been no gruesome murder of African leaders demanding the same “unalinable rights” that the same leaders of the so-called Free World had so eloquently propounded and so forcefully demanded, fighting even to the death to earn them. Patrice Lumumba! Kwame Nkrumah! Walter Rodney! Conscientious African and other satellite-country leaders that raised their heads to demand equal rights for their own people were murdered, were hounded out of office, and were prevented from taking office. Salvador Allende! Sylvanus Olympio! Obafemi Awolowo! The list is endless!

Neo-colonialism or imperialism, which Vladmir Lenin, leader of the Bolshevik Revolution of October 1917, described as the highest stage of capitalism, has replaced direct colonial rule. What we have in many satellite countries today is Frantz Fanon’s black mask or faces hiding the face of the white colonial masters still calling the shots. Africa’s mineral and material resources are pillaged for the benefit of the metropoles. Peanuts are what the Free World pays for these resources.

Just one example here: While France paid $0.8 per kilogram of uranium to its former colony, Niger Republic, it paid $200 for the same quantity of the same commodity to Canada, a member of the same “Free World” like itself! We may mouth the same cliches, but they mean different things to different folks. We may be rallied to fight for the same principles (as was the case during the Second World War), but when the chips are down the same principles and ideals will be interpreted and implemented differently for different peoples.

Their freedom is our slavery. Their rights, our chains. They are the Free World. We are the Enslaved World. They have reasoned - and reckoned - that we cannot both be free together. One has to be enslaved for the other to be free. One has to be looted and deprived of its resources, human and material, for the other to enjoy the good life. One hand must be down for the other to be on top. Their prosperity and our poverty are inversely proportional one to the other. For those who may not understand that mathematical expression, what it means is that they are rich because we are poor and we are poor because they are rich. To get rich, they first make us poor. Another way of putting it is that they must make us poor before they can become rich.

There is no moralization involved here. Or, better put, the morals of the situation is that, to break their yoke from off our neck, we must stand up and fight, like the French did, and like the Americans did. This has got nothing to do with religion; in fact, religion was, has been, and remains one of the tools they employed for our subjugation. It is the reason Karl Marx described it as the opium (sedative) of the people. If we cannot turn the tables and employ the same religion against them - now that we cry more than the bereaved and act holier than the Pope on the matter of religion - we should at least see beyond the veil.

Morals play no role in the Free World’s code of conduct. Their ethics revolve around the good life for themselves and themselves alone. To achieve this, their doublespeak and deceit even make the few conscientious folks among them blush. Otherwise, how can second- or third-generation immigrants and sons of immigrants like Trump sit in judgement over - and begin to deport - the descendants of those who have been there centuries earlier?

Bob Marley then was right: Them crazy/Them crazy/We gonna chase those crazy baldheads out of town/I an I build a cabin/I and I plant the corn/Didn’t my people before me/Slave for this country?/Now you look me with that scorn/Then you eat up all my corn/…Hate is your reward for us/Telling us of your God above/We gonna chase those crazy…”

Only by first freeing ourselves shall we help to free the so-called Free World from their pride and prejudice, hatred, bigotry, jaundiced worldview and oppressive manipulation of the other parts and peoples of the world.

Eid Mubarak to my teeming readers and all our moslem brothers and sisters all over the world! But should I put it on record that none has yet considered sending me ram, rice, and condiments for me to also hillariously join them in the celebration?

Gospel singer Frank Edwards has advised against overspending in an attempt to emulate his charitable actions.

Edwards, on Facebook, emphasised that his financial capacity and business ventures enable him to support others.

He cautioned fans not to drain their savings in an effort to help others, as they may not have the same financial stability or guidance.

 

The singer specifically addressed those trying to start their lives, urging them to prioritise stability before attempting to support others.

He wrote: “For those following me i need to sound you this warning! Don’t say Frank Edwards empowers people, gives a lot … and you go and start doing the same thing with your little savings .. you don’t know how many businesses i own , you don’t know how long I’ve been working, you don’t have the instructions i have ..This is specifically for those of you trying to kick start your life . DONT EMPTY YOUR SAVINGS. .

stand 1st so you are able to carry others. Because i saw a comment that says “sir i am going to empty my savings and help people like you do”, calm down”.

[TheCable]

The co-founder of Tengen Family Office, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, has warned about Africa’s economic future, stating that the continent’s failure to sustain family businesses across generations is a critical barrier to development.

Aig-Imoukhuede said this at the Lagos Business School International Family Business Conference 2025, themed ‘Preparing the Next Generation for Stewardship: Building a Lasting Legacy for Family Businesses’, which was held on Thursday in Lagos.

He said strong economies are built on the foundation of thriving family enterprises, which Africa has failed to nurture.

He explained, “The mortality of family businesses has a perfect correlation with our stunted development. While other regions build on existing business legacies, Africa repeatedly dismantles its economic gains. Every time we start from the bottom, others build on what has been built. You cannot compete with compounding.”

He emphasised the long-term advantages of structured business succession. Aig-Imoukhuede drew comparisons to global economic powerhouses such as JP Morgan and the Rockefellers, who institutionalised family enterprises beyond business ownership.

He said these firms incorporated governance structures, philanthropy, and investment offices to sustain their wealth. He noted that in contrast, Africa’s cycle of business collapse and reinvention has hindered economic expansion and wealth accumulation.

“The family enterprise is broader than the family business. It includes governance, philanthropy, and long-term investments,” he noted, urging African entrepreneurs to embrace structured succession planning to ensure continuity.

Aig-Imoukhuede’s remarks added urgency to ongoing discussions about economic transformation in Africa. “Without deliberate efforts to institutionalise family businesses, the continent will struggle to compete on the global stage and break free from cycles of economic stagnation,” he warned.

On her part, the Executive Director, Business Development and Innovation at PUNCH Nigeria Limited, Omowunmi Tunde-Obe, emphasised the importance of preparing the next generation to sustain legacies.

Reflecting on her father’s vision, she recalled his dying words: “PUNCH must not die. Please don’t let PUNCH die.”

 

She explained that her uncle stepped in as a regent, steering the company through turbulent military crackdowns. “He not only ensured its survival but made it Nigeria’s widest-selling newspaper,” she said.

Tunde-Obe detailed her gradual immersion into the business, crediting training programmes and board roles for shaping her leadership.

“I developed a hunger and passion for making a difference,” she noted, reinforcing the need for structured succession to uphold institutional legacies.

Also, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Coscharis Motors Limited, Dr Cosmas Maduka, emphasised the need for intentional leadership in sustaining family businesses beyond the founder’s lifetime.

He argued that success is not solely determined by education but by a clear vision and strategic planning. “If everything you stand for dies when you die, you have not lived effectively,” he stated.

Maduka stressed that legacy requires successors who are not only willing but hungry for success. “You can never teach anyone to be hungry. It must come instinctively,” he added.

Maduka, who disclosed that his children are actively involved in his business, warned that hope alone is not a strategy. “Nothing changes without leadership. If you want to leave a legacy, you must work towards it,” he added.

Also, the Director of the Lagos Business School Family Business Initiative, Dr Okey Nwuke, emphasised the need for long-term sustainability through stewardship rather than mere leadership.

The theme of the conference explored how businesses can survive across generations. Addressing participants, Nwuke said, “The real challenge is ensuring that businesses outlive their founders. Stewardship, not just leadership, is key to continuity.”

[Punch]

Gospel singer and songwriter, Sola Allyson, has responded to criticism regarding the absence of direct references to Jesus in her latest album.

The controversy began when an X user, @Folahanayo1, referenced gospel legend Panam Percy Paul’s revelation that he once turned down a £24 million record deal in 1995 because it required him to reduce the mention of Jesus in his songs. The user then called out Allyson, stating, “Sola Allyson cannot relate. A whole album and not a single mention of Jesus.”

In a fiery response, Allyson defended her creative and spiritual choices, calling out what she perceived as judgment and manipulation in the criticism.

She further argued that faith is not about outward displays, but rather a personal journey, rejecting the notion that she must conform to a specific mold.

“Can you see why true souls have found themselves distant from you? Or is it that you are desperately looking for an addition of light souls in your dark space and must bully them into joining you?” she asked.

Allyson also criticised those who police expressions of faith, labelling them as insincere and judgmental.

“This act says dark and callous! This is bullying! The Jesus I know would NEVER do this!” she said.

Emphasising her independence, she made it clear that she would not be manipulated into performing faith in a way that does not align with her convictions.

“I don’t want to be a part of dark souls who outwardly present ‘Jesus’ but act otherwise. Leave me to be and face your fellow vain, shallow, and liar souls!” she said.

In an emotional video shared on her Instagram page on Saturday, Allyson revealed she had been struggling emotionally, holding on only to her faith and career.

“I just finished crying. Today, I am not strong. Right now, the only thing keeping me afloat is my faith in God and the work I have built with my own hands,” she confessed.

The musician expressed frustration at those who criticise her, questioning if their attacks would only stop once she was broken.

“Is it until I break? Until you hear I am gone, and then you start posting ‘RIP’ as if you ever truly cared? Every human has their limits. I have stood alone all my life. I have walked this path without validation from anyone. Even those closest to me never believed in me—until recently,” she said.

Allyson concluded by affirming her confidence in her journey and rejecting any pressure to conform.

“I am not begging to belong anywhere. I know who I am, I know where I am going, and I know the light I carry. If what I do unsettles you, walk away. Do not add to another person’s burden with careless words—you may never know the weight they already carry,” she said.

[Vanguard]

 

Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Abdulsamad Rabiu and Femi Otedola have been named in Forbes’ 2025 billionaires list in Africa.

There are only four Nigerians named in the list published on Saturday.

Forbes said Africa’s 22 billionaires saw their fortunes rise to $105 billion from $82.4 billion that it was in 2024 for 20 billionaires.

According to Forbes, Dangote, the owner of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, occupies the top spot in Africa with a net worth of $23.9 billion from $13.9 billion in 2024.

 

The international magazine attributed the increase in Dangote’s wealth to the valuation of his refinery, which was added to the calculation of the net worth.

Adenuga, chairman of Globacom, a telecommunication company in Nigeria, is in fifth position in Africa with a net worth of $6.8 billion.

With a $5.1 billion net worth, Rabiu, chairman of BUA Group, is ranked sixth position in Africa.

 

In the joint 16th position is Otedola, chairman of the First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Holdings Plc, with $1.5 billion net worth.

“South Africa had the largest number of billionaires this year, with seven, followed by four from Nigeria and four from Egypt,” Forbes said.

“The list also includes three billionaires from Morocco, one from Algeria (Isaad Rebrab), one from Tanzania (Mohammed Dewiji) and one (Masiyiwa) from Zimbabwe.

“Our list tracks the wealth of African billionaires who reside in Africa or have their primary business there, thus excluding Sudanese-born billionaire Mo Ibrahim, who is a U.K. citizen; and South African Nathan Kirsh, who operates out of London and has his business in the U.S. and U.K.

 

“Net worths were calculated using stock prices and currency exchange rates from the close of business on March 7, 2025.”

[TheCable]

The Aare Ona kakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, has called for the immortalization of former Chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), late Humphrey Nwosu.

His appeal is coming against the Senate’s rejection of a motion seeking to immortalise Nwosu.

 

In a statement he signed, Adams argued that considering Nwosu’s role in delivering June 12, 1993 Presidential election, which was adjusted globally as the freest and fairest in Nigeria, he should be immortalized.

 

He urged the Nigerian government to name a monument after Nwosu as “a good precedence for other INEC chairmen to be honest when they were being given the position on the basis of organizing elections in Nigeria.”

According to Adams: “It is very important that Nwosu should be recognized, the genesis of having a free and fair or the foundation of having a free and fair June 12, 1993 elections was through having a sincere NEC chairman like Nwosu.

“Nwosu conducted free and fair election that gave Aare MKO Abiola the mandate that the Nigerian government then did not install him as president.

“And the respect and the glory that Aare MKO Abiola is having today is as a result of the honesty displayed by the then NEC chairman and the products that worked with him that made it happen.

“So if Abiola can be honoured by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018, so definitely Humphrey Nwosu has to be immortalised. At least, there should be a monument that they should name after him so that it can be a good precedence for other INEC chairmen to be honest when they were being given the position on the basis of organizing elections in Nigeria.”

Stressing that nothing must be done to deny Nwosu the honour he deserved, Adams said “his spirit will not be happy with Nigeria.”

Adams faulted Yorubas against immortalizing Nwosu, stressing that it would “amount to self centeredness.”

 [NaijaNews]
 

The organizers of the rally in support of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, have dared Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, vowing to go ahead with the rally that the number one citizen in Bayelsa kicked against.

During a meeting with Bayelsa Elders and Security agencies, on Wednesday, the governor had raised concerns that the rally could trigger violence.

He alerted security agencies and stakeholders not to encourage anything that could lead to the breakdown of law and order in the state.

But reacting in a statement which his Media Assistant, Kelvin Loveday-Egbo, issued on his behalf, George Turnah, the South South Zonal Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who is the lead promoter of the rally, said arrangements for the programme were in top gear.

Expressing shock over the governor’s comment, Turnah said ethnicity has no place in politics, adding that the rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly is constitutional.

He said the rally is planned in solidarity with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the FCT Minister.

Turnah also dispelled the governor’s notion that he was collaborating with a former governor to create instability in the state.

Turnah stated that he has no intention of politically destabilizing Bayelsa or any other state, but he leads a grassroots political movement called New Associates aimed at mobilizing support for President Tinubu’s administration in the South South Zone, devoid of ulterior motives.

In a promo flyer obtained by Daily Trust in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, the promoters of the rally listed the eminent Nigerians to attend the rally to include Wike, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Samuel Ogbuku, among others.

He said: “The organization is set to officially launch in Bayelsa on April 12, 2025, and the arrangements are in top gear to ensure a hitch-free outing, including formal notifications to relevant security organizations in the state as required by law.

Turnah reminded Governor Diri that the Ogbia leaders and elders he asked to call him to order were the same leaders who, in 2019, requested him not to support the governor’s ambition at the time, a request he ignored.

“I am not only a member of the PDP but also a serving Zonal Secretary of the Party in the South South, I wonder which other office the Governor was accusing me of occupying if I am not a member of the PDP.”

Expressing concern over the governor’s anger regarding his personal choice of political association with Wike, Turnah noted his constitutional right to freedom of association.

He reminded the governor that this is not the first time he had made personal political choices.

While acknowledging that the current disagreement within the PDP in the state are a family affair, Turnah assured that the issues would be resolved in no time.

He commended the Governor on his many achievements and pledged his continued support for the prosperity administration led by Governor Diri.

He also called on the teeming youths, women, political class across Party lines and divides as well as all lovers of the President to come out en masse and show their appreciation to President Tinubu and Wike for their special love for Bayelsa and Ijaw nation.

[DailyTrust]

Former Rivers State Head of Service, George Nwaeke, has denied reports that he was kidnapped and forced to address the press yesterday.

Nwaeke insisted that he was in Abuja to report himself and event in Rivers State to security agencies.

Yesterday, the former HoS in Rivers State had made damning claims against Governor Sim Fubara.

Shortly afterwards, Nwaeke’s wife had declared him missing, stressing that his whereabouts were unknown.

She suggested in a phone conversation with Fubara that Nweke might have been kidnapped and forced to make the claims against the governor.

However, a video which surfaced this morning showed Nweke claiming to have lodged at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

According to Nwaeke, he would be visiting all the headquarters of security agencies in Abuja to report issues of Rivers State that makes him sick.

He said: “My name is Frank Nwaeke and I’m in Transcorp in Abuja. I came in here this morning from Port Harcourt to meet the security agencies to report myself and things that happened in the state that is making me to feel sick.

“Actually, I was the Head of Service until Monday when I resigned because of the things that are happening.

“After the press interview I granted, I just saw a video of my wife trending, where they went to feed her with all kinds of fallacies that I have been kidnapped.

“I want to clear this that I’m not kidnapped, I’m in Abuja, this is Transcorp Hotel where I’m lodging. They told her I was kidnapping and they wrote a script for her to say all sorts of things.

“I want to put this straight, I’m the head of Service and I’m on oath; my wife does not know what happens in my office – it’s only my domestic or social matters that we discuss.

“I want to clear the air that I’m safe and fine, I’m in Abuja; and by tomorrow morning, I’m going to security agencies to report myself.

“My coming to Abuja was based on the fact that Abuja is where all the headquarters of security agencies are housed. I came here and I think I’m safe to make this report here.”

[DailyPost]

 
 
 
 

Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has alleged that the ongoing political crisis in Rivers is a struggle over money sharing between suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.

In an interview with DW on Friday, Amaechi dismissed the feud as a battle for financial control rather than governance, questioning why Nigerians have not demanded transparency from both politicians.

“The fight between the current governor of Rivers State and the FCT minister is about sharing money. If not, what’s the quarrel?” he said. “Nigerians don’t dislike corruption again. I’ve not seen anybody on the street querying what the problem is. Can both of them speak to the public and tell us what the problem is about?”

His remarks come as President Bola Tinubu, on March 18, declared a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the State House of Assembly. In their place, Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd.) as Sole Administrator, citing political instability and pipeline vandalism.

Amaechi condemned the move, arguing that it sets a dangerous precedent where governors can be removed at will. He described the situation as a political power struggle between the president and Wike, with Fubara caught in the middle.

“The president wants a power grab. They want to frighten governors who may not support them in 2027,” he said.

He also questioned the justification for emergency rule, pointing out that other regions facing severe security challenges have not been subjected to similar actions.

“If the president said it is because of insecurity, because they blew the pipeline, what about parts of the country where there is insecurity? Is the president saying they should impose emergency rule on him too?”

Amaechi maintained that security matters fall under the president’s jurisdiction, not the governor’s, and insisted that Fubara is being unfairly punished.

“Rivers governor has no security responsibility; it rests squarely on the president. So why punish a man who did not commit an offence?” he added.

He called on Rivers residents to resist Tinubu’s decision through democratic protests, warning that the emergency rule undermines constitutional governance.

 [Vanguard]