Restore Fubara, Engage Abdulsalami Committee, Rep Tells Tinubu
Awaji-Inombek Abiante said the intelligence the president relied upon to declare an emergency rule in Rivers might have been rigged.
Awaji-Inombek Abiante, a member representing Andoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency in Rivers State at the House of Representatives, has asked President Bola Tinubu to restore Governor Siminalayi Fubara before the expiration of the six-month emergency rule period.
Abiante also called on the president to engage the National Peace Committee headed by former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, to mediate with the warring parties in the oil-rich state and find a common ground for peace.
The lawmaker spoke on the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on
Tinubu, in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, imposed a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspended Fubara and his deputy Ngozi Odu; as well as the Rivers State House of Assembly members for six months. Tinubu also appointed ex-naval chief, Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd.), as sole administrator for the state for the period of the emergency rule.
Tinubu hinged his decision on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saying he can’t continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking any action. His decision was backed by the National Assembly in a controversial voice vote that has been heavily faulted.
The suspension of Fubara and other democratically elected representatives has been expressly rejected and condemned by many eminent Nigerians, legal luminaries, and groups including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Femi Falana, the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Nigerian Bar Association, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), among others.
Intelligence Rigged?
Abiante said there are a few gaps even in the actions of the National Assembly, saying provisions were not made for those who chose to vote a yes, a no or to abstain.
He said some of the gaps in the president’s claims include that Fubara did not make efforts to rebuild the demolished chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly. “That is not correct,” he said, citing the visit of the new sole administrator inspecting the building under construction that Fubara started.
“There was this issue that pipelines were broken; there was an explosion; it’s also on record that the pipeline is back to work,” Abiante said.
According to him, the intelligence the president relied upon to declare an emergency rule in Rivers might have been rigged.
“That is to tell us that it is either the intelligence that was relied upon may have been rigged. If in this country we could rig intelligence to the president, are we not in danger?” he asked.
Abiante suggested that the peace committee led by Abdulsalami should be called upon to intervene in the state’s political crisis. The peace committee has eminent Nigerians including Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah; the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad III; amongst others as members.
