The final capture of Rivers state: Wike’s total dominance under Tinubu’s emergency rule

The recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has effectively stripped the state of its autonomy, placing governance directly under the control of the Federal Executive Council (FEC). While the official justification for this drastic measure is to restore stability, the political reality is far more revealing.

This is not just federal intervention—it is a well-executed takeover that has cemented the influence of former Governor Nyesom Wike, making him the de facto ruler of Rivers State.

A FEDERAL TAKEOVER IN THE NAME OF STABILITY

For months, Rivers State has been embroiled in a bitter power struggle between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and factions within the state legislature. The crisis escalated with the demolition of the House of Assembly building and the paralysis of governance. The Supreme Court even warned that a state cannot function without a properly constituted government, providing the perfect excuse for federal intervention.

President Tinubu, invoking Section 305 of the Constitution, suspended the executive and legislative arms of Rivers State and appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd.) as Sole Administrator. But this was no ordinary intervention. Ibas was not given the powers of a governor—he cannot enact laws, make executive decisions, or govern independently. Instead, he must refer all matters to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), where final decisions on Rivers State will now be made in Abuja.

THE MOST SYMBOLIC MOMENT: IBAS SWORN IN WITHOUT RIVERS REPRESENTATION

Perhaps the most telling moment of this entire process was the swearing-in of Ibas. Rather than taking place in Rivers State, as would be expected for a state administrator, the ceremony was held at the Presidents’s meeting room in Abuja.

Even more shockingly, the only Rivers indigene present was Nyesom Wike.

No other Rivers leader, elder, or stakeholder was invited. Not a single other Rivers man or woman witnessed the transition of power. The symbolism of this moment cannot be ignored. It was a clear message:
– Rivers State is no longer governed from Port Harcourt—it is now controlled from Abuja.
– ⁠The people of Rivers have lost their voice.
– ⁠And Wike is now the only person who speaks for them.

WIKE: THE DE FACTO GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE

With the governor and legislature suspended, decision-making for Rivers State now rests solely with the FEC. But in that council, only one person represents Rivers: Nyesom Wike.

This means:
– Every policy, budget, and governance decision concerning Rivers State will be discussed and approved in Abuja, where Wike is the sole voice speaking for the state.
– ⁠There is no elected governor to challenge him.
– ⁠There is no House of Assembly to provide checks and balances.
– ⁠There is no opposition within the state to counterbalance his influence.

Wike has now secured more power than he ever had as an elected governor. He does not need to campaign. He does not need to answer to the people of Rivers. He controls the state from Abuja with the full backing of the Presidency.

A CAREFULLY ORCHESTRATED CAPTURE

Wike’s re-emergence as the de facto ruler of Rivers State did not happen by accident. Since leaving office in 2023, he has remained at the center of Rivers politics, ensuring that his grip on power never loosened. His rift with Governor Fubara was not about governance—it was about control.

Now, with emergency rule in place, Wike no longer needs to fight for control of Rivers from within. Instead, he has positioned himself as the single voice representing Rivers at the highest level of government.

A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT

This move sets a dangerous precedent for Nigerian democracy:
1. Can the federal government now take over any state experiencing political instability?
2. ⁠If Rivers can be governed remotely from Abuja, what stops the same from happening to other states?
3. ⁠Does this mean that states can be stripped of their autonomy whenever it is politically convenient?

By placing Rivers governance in the hands of one man at the FEC, this intervention is not about stability—it is about consolidating power.

A STATE WITHOUT A VOICE

For the people of Rivers, the implications are dire. Their state is now governed by decisions made in Abuja, not by their elected officials. Their resources, policies, and future development are now subject to the interests of a federal minister who no longer holds an official mandate in the state.

Wike is now the sole gatekeeper of Rivers affairs. He decides what is discussed. He decides what is approved. And with the full support of the Presidency, he has achieved something unprecedented: total control without an election.

THE FINAL QUESTION: WHO SPEAKS FOR RIVERS NOW?

With the governor, deputy governor, and lawmakers all sidelined, and Wike sitting comfortably as the only voice at the FEC, Rivers State is now in the hands of one man. The people must ask themselves:
– Is this the governance they voted for?
– ⁠Can Rivers truly claim to be a federating unit when it has no local decision-making power?
– ⁠Has Rivers State officially become an extension of Abuja’s political power play?

If the people of Rivers remain silent, they risk becoming mere spectators in the administration of their own state. The final capture of Rivers has been completed—not through elections, not through democracy, but through a carefully designed federal maneuver that has placed power in the hands of a single man.

And that man is Nyesom Wike.