The Resource Center for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has called for the immediate dismissal of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
CHRICED described the move as an “undemocratic overreach” and a direct attack on the rights of Rivers State citizens.
The call was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, as CHRICED accused President Tinubu of violating the 1999 Constitution by suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and the entire Rivers State House of Assembly.
The organisation also criticized the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Retd) as an administrator to oversee the state for six months, calling it a “dangerous precedent.”
“The Constitution does not grant the President the power to suspend an elected governor,” CHRICED stated. “This action is a blatant subversion of democracy and the rule of law.”
The group highlighted the role of Wike in fueling the political crisis in Rivers State, accusing him of orchestrating instability to undermine Governor Fubara’s independence. “Wike’s actions are condemnable and must not go unpunished. His continued role as a minister undermines any claim to justice,” the statement read.
CHRICED warned that the declaration of emergency rule could destabilize the Niger Delta region, jeopardizing peace and economic progress.
“This is not just about Rivers State; it is part of a broader pattern of political interference in opposition-led states,” the organization noted, citing similar federal overreach in Kano State as evidence of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)’s strategy to weaken opposition parties.
The group urged President Tinubu to revoke the state of emergency and restore democratic governance in Rivers State. “Failure to do so may signify a return to outright dictatorship,” CHRICED warned.
The statement concluded with a call for justice, quoting the Quranic injunction: *“O ye who believe! Be strict in observing justice, and be witnesses for Allah, even though it be against yourselves or against your parents and kindred.”*
Discussion about this post