Members of the Rivers State Caucus in the National Assembly have taken a swipe at Senator Henry Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa, PDP) over his recent criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu regarding the state of emergency in Rivers State.
At a press conference held on Friday at the House of Representatives, the caucus, comprising senators and members of the House, described Dickson’s comment as “unguarded and unwarranted,” insisting that Rivers State is currently experiencing relative peace.
Senator Dickson had claimed that President Tinubu should have used the occasion of June 12 Democracy Day to lift the emergency rule in the state and reinstate the suspended governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara. However, the Rivers caucus dismissed his position, saying it misrepresented the facts.
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The House Minority Leader, Rep Kingsley Chinda, who addressed journalists on behalf of the group, said members of the caucus were dismayed by Dickson’s remarks, describing them as misleading.
“Rivers State is not under military rule simply because its administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), is a retired military officer. To label the current administration as ‘military rule’ is intellectually disingenuous,” Chinda said.
He explained that the declaration of emergency in the state was a constitutional step necessitated by escalating political instability, executive impunity and a breakdown of democratic institutions – factors affirmed by the Supreme Court in its February 28, 2025 judgement – which stated that there was no functioning government in Rivers State.
“The president acted decisively to avert chaos. Without that timely intervention, the crisis could have spiraled beyond control,” Chinda said, adding that the state of emergency is a constitutional provision under section 305 of the 1999 Constitution.
Chinda further noted that Governor Siminalayi Fubara had publicly appreciated President Tinubu for stepping in to prevent a total breakdown of governance.
The position of the caucus was formally presented by Chinda and cosigned by Senator Barry Mpigi, Sen Orwell Onyesoh, Rep Dumnamene Dekor and Rep Solomon Bob.
Others are Rep Felix Nweke, Rep Kelechi Nwogu, Rep Cyril Godwin Hart, Rep Blessing Chigeru Amadi and Rep Victor Obuzor.
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