…As NBA, women groups begin protests
As more civil society and non-state actors rise up against the situation in Rivers State, former labour leaders have come together to declare the state of emergency an equivalent of coup.
Right now, the Nigerian Bar Association, Ward Chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prayer Women Forum, Daughters of Rivers State, Elders of Rivers State, etc, have filed out to launch a struggle against the continued state of emergency.
This seemed to rise more when the Sole Administrator began to appoint new persons into office, something most persons have described as replacement of state officers with men loyal to Nyesom Wike, FCT Minister, who is seen as the main opponent of Gov Sim Fubara.
Read also: I did not summon Fubara, deputy, says Rivers Sole Administrator
The former labour leaders mounted a press conference in Port Harcourt Thursday, April 17, 2025, led by Achese Igwe (former NUPENG president) flanked by Juliet Berewari (former NANNM chairman); Emmanel Ajoku (former NLC National Vice President & Former National President of AUPCTRE); and Inimgba Koko (former NLC Chairman).
Explaining the essence of the press briefing, Igwe described what has happened to Rivers State as nothing short of a coup, saying this could be likened to what happened in 1985 (when a military coup took place on 27 August as a faction of mid-level Armed Forces officers, led by Ibrahim Babangida, a Chief of Army Staff then, overthrew the government of Muhammadu Buhari, a Major General, (who himself took power in the 1983 coup d’état).
Igwe said Labour must join the struggle before it consumes the nation. “Do not sit while Rivers State is on fire. Nigeria cannot succeed without Rivers State. State of Emergency has destabilized livelihood in Rivers families. The NLC must please speak up. You are voice of the people and hope of the common man. Fight now when it is not too late.”
He said NUPENG leaders paid the price before 1999 to get the Democracy he said everybody was enjoying. “Nowhere in the world do you suspend elected leaders. We must not allow this experiment going on in Rivers State. Labour should ask, where is Nigeria headed to?
“Some ask which labour! We want both the Labour leadership in Rivers State and in Nigeria, and even the international labour. They are all watching. We here were in the forefront of the June 12 struggle. I for one paid the price. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is member of the International Federation of Labour. We fought for Cuba right from here in Nigeria. Some of us went to Cuba to fight for them. Labour is final bulwark against bad policies.
“Chris Ngige was kidnapped right in the Government House in Awka (Aambra State), in the days of then President Olusegun Obasanjo (who was believed to be complicit) but the people fought for him (Ngige) and his government was restored.”
Igwe went on: “You cannot suspend an elected governor with voice vote (Senate vote). The governor avoided appointing local government administrators when the election was nullified by the apex court because the Supreme Court gave a definite judgment against doing such and because its against the constitution. Now, such administrators have been appointed in Rivers State by another person (Sole Administrator).”
He said the presidency was quick to declare state of emergency in Rivers State but in the north, military men were sent to make peace.
The former labour leaders talked about fear ahead, saying people were now out in the streets. “We should not wait for it to get out of hand. Labour should take over at this point.”
Asked to show what the alternative was in the face of lawmakers in the state refusing to receive the budget as ordered by the Supreme Court, the former NUPENG president said the President talked about reconciliation processes. “He cannot say he exhausted peaceful processes especially after the Supreme Court judgment. He could have called all the parties on the steps to implement the judgment.
“The Sole Administrator stated upon arrival that the state was calm. He too talked about mission to reconcile. What is needed is reconciliation rather than state of emergency.”
Saying dialogue should have taken over, he stated that dialogue is key, saying: “Anywhere dialogue fails, democracy has failed. We should all pray oh.”
On the committee set up by the House of Representatives on Rivers situation, Igwe said they should have been carried out before state of emergency was declared. However, he said, let them try their best.
He said June 12 was not just about the late MKO Abiola but about Nigeria. “Today, Nigeria has recognized Abiola and immortalized him. Nigerians and Labour should know that this is not about Sim Fubara or Rivers State alone but about Nigeria. Dismantling of Democracy is a big thing and a big threat.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should have a rethink and save Nigeria’s democracy. Even President Donald Trump of the US has rescinded the tariff policy. That’s the beauty of democracy. We appeal to President Tinubu not to allow a few persons close to him to truncate Democracy.”
Speech:
Addressing newsmen, the leader of the former labour kingpins said ordinarily, as former Labour Leaders, they were not supposed to lead workers to protest the collapse of democracy in Rivers State rather than the organized Labour that is saddled with the responsibility of defending and protecting
the nascent democracy. He regretted that the current labour leaders didn’t seem yet to see reasons in the state that others had seen.
Igwe said: “Tomorrow, April 18, 2025, will be exactly one month when President Tinubu in a most undesirable and absurd pronouncement on the Rivers State crisis declared a state of emergency and the suspension of Sim Fubara, the democratically elected Governor of Rivers state, and Ordu his deputy and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six
months.
To cap it all, he frowned, the President appointed Ibok Ekwe Ibas, a retired Vice Admiral, as the Sole Administrator of the state in what former labour leaders considered a brazen and fragrant desecration of democracy and the rule of law.
Furthermore, he went on, democratic and legally obligatory pre-requisites were also thrown overboard by the National Assembly through their voice-vote endorsement of President Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration in place of the constitutionally prescribed two thirds majority votes.
He declared; “As far as the former Labour Leaders Forum is concerned, such mindless take over and destroying fundamental principles of democracy in such an absurd manner in Rivers State amounts to suspension of democracy and the constitution of Nigeria and inviting military dictatorship which the Sole Administrator has begun to accomplish.
“The Sole Administrator is acting out a script by dismounting existing democratic structures in the state, arbitrarily appointing sole administrators for the Local Government councils, dissolving and reconstituting boards, commissions and governing councils. This is a sinister agenda of state capture. That may likely befall other states.
“It is therefore our strongest opinion as former Labour leaders in the state to call on the organised Labour – the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the state and national levels to actively join hands with well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organisations and the good people of Rivers State to bring to an immediate end this dangerous undemocratic precedent that has been unleashed in our dear state.”
He said organised Labour, especially in Rivers State, as a major stakeholder in the Socio-political democratic and economic emancipation of Rivers people, should not be sleeping while the state is apparently on fire.
“The selective application of a state of emergency in Rivers State while ignoring states constantly plagued by worst security challenges is undoubtedly questionable.
“The Forum is absolutely at loss to apprehend how the political crisis and upheavals in Rivers State that have warranted such extreme measures taken against the people.
Read also: Former labour leaders in Rivers ask NLC to fight State of emergency
“It is very glaring that this decision is taken in bad faith against the good people of Rivers State. On a very good standing, we can boldly say that Nigeria as a sovereign nation cannot stand or succeed without Rivers State.”
The former Labour Leaders Forum in Rivers State, therefore, called on President Tinubu to reconsider his action and recall Fubara, his deputy, Ordu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly in the interest of peace and democracy.
“Let me reiterate that this forum stands in strong solidarity with all well-meaning people of Rivers state to navigate through these challenging times and deeply empathize with the people and frustration they are passing through.
“Gentlemen of the Press, you will agree with us that the emergency rule in Rivers State underscores the severe difficulties being faced dally to sustainable livelihood.
‘We once again call on the NLC to live up to the mandate of the Nigerian workers and the masses or immediately put in the towel.
Other pro-democracy groups such as the NBA, women groups, and many more have joined in the calls for return to democracy in the state. Women groups now walk round the state capital and beyond demanding for return of Gov Fubara.
