•State of emergency, not a justification for sacking gov, elected government -Sen. Dickson
Notable Nigerians from across political divides have expressed disenchantment with President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and other elected political officers in the state.
Tinubu announced the suspension in an address on Tuesday, while appointing a former naval chief as administrator of the state.
Rivers State has recently been engulfed in political turmoil involving the governor and the lawmakers loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike, the estranged godfather of Fubara.
Reacting to the declaration of a state of emergency, the senator representing Bayelsa West, Henry Seriake Dickson disagreed with the suspension of the state governor and his deputy
Senator Dickson reacted thus:
“This evening, like all Nigerians, I was jolted by the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
“While we are all aware of the prolonged political disputes in the state, I do not support the declaration of a state of emergency, especially when that is taken to mean that the Governor and his Deputy will vacate their seats for six months. I don’t believe that is the intendment of the constitution, and that has been my position on matters like this even when we had a PDP President. “I have always opposed declarations of emergency in states that meant that their governors would vacate their offices, and this is no exception. I have always had the view that even with the declaration of a state of emergency in a state, the elected government must be protected and need not be removed.
“I have spent all my adult life fighting and defending our people, even when leaders, out of envy and wickedness, sponsor propaganda and misinformation. When I was leaving as governor, and because I knew the anti-democratic and anti-Ijaw forces in our region and in the country, having fought and defeated them, knowing their strengths, strategies and determination, I brought in a successor. He did not tell me he wanted to be a governor.
“I brought him in to lead and protect our people with our support, because he was part of the Ijaw movement.
“While managing a recession for six years during my 8-year tenure, I worked and made a mark in all sectors of our State. We raised and maintained countless number of people — men, women and youths, with less than N500 million monthly after paying half salaries in a recession. We still stopped the brutal federal forces from taking over the state in 2015, 2019 general elections, and 2020 governorship election where I sponsored all candidates with the support of our friends and allies.
“Is this what has become of the Ijaw nation that we all staked everything to build?
“It is a sad day for all democrats. It’s a sad day for Rivers State, and a sad day for our people. I urge everyone to put on their thinking caps. I urge our people to lift up their spirits as we will get over this together”.
