Tinubu Initiated Crisis in Rivers State when there was None - Kenneth Okonkwo

Veteran Nollywood actor, lawyer, and Labour Party chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu, alleging that the president personally instigated the political turmoil in Rivers State, where none previously existed, leading to a controversial six-month state of emergency.In an exclusive interview on Channels Television's Sunrise Daily on Monday, September 22, 2025, Okonkwo claimed the crisis, which resulted in the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and several state lawmakers, was a deliberate ploy by Tinubu to undermine the Supreme Court's recent resolution of the dispute. "It was President Tinubu who initiated the crisis in Rivers State, when there was none," Okonkwo stated, emphasizing that no political riots or unrest were reported prior to the federal intervention.Okonkwo argued that the Supreme Court judgment had already settled the power tussle between the governor and the state House of Assembly, with all parties agreeing to abide by it. He accused Tinubu of exploiting the ruling to justify the emergency declaration, describing it as a blatant misuse of executive power. "How can you use the same Supreme Court judgment to initiate crisis in Rivers State?" Okonkwo questioned, labeling the move as "political manipulation" and an affront to democratic principles.The state of emergency, imposed earlier in 2025 amid escalating tensions between Governor Fubara and his predecessor Nyesom Wike—a key ally of Tinubu—suspended elected officials and installed a sole administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas, to oversee local government affairs. Okonkwo further alleged that the administration used the emergency period to control Rivers' resources and rig local elections through proxies, effectively shortening Fubara's tenure by six months. He warned that this could disenfranchise Rivers voters, as the governor's full four-year term should conclude on November 29, 2027, not May 29, 2027, as implied by the suspensions.In a related call during the interview, Okonkwo demanded an immediate probe into Ibas's tenure as sole administrator, accusing him of potential financial improprieties. "Ibas should be probed," he insisted, urging transparency in how state funds were managed under federal oversight.Okonkwo's remarks come amid ongoing fallout from the emergency rule, which expired automatically after six months but saw Fubara reinstated last Friday without presidential revocation, a move the politician claims was unconstitutional. He called on democratic forces across Nigeria to resist what he termed an "undemocratic assault" on the Southeast state's autonomy, recounting earlier criticisms where he likened the declaration to "martial law" rather than a legitimate emergency.

Read More