A Governor In Chains, by Emmanuel Aziken

Yesterday’s instrumentality to Port Harcourt of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and the quiescent stealing distant of the sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), are 2 poignant dents connected the nation’s democracy. How the state progresses from present volition undoubtedly specify the quality of the ideology Nigeria practises.

Remarkably, immoderate person praised President Bola Tinubu for not extending the suspension of thegovernor and the antiauthoritarian structures successful Rivers State beyond the six months helium had initially proclaimed. Many absorption voices, however, importune that thepresident erred successful the archetypal lawsuit by unilaterally removing an elected politician from office.

Till date, the president’s enablers are yet to find the law ground for his action. Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution outlines six wide circumstances nether which the president whitethorn state a authorities of emergency. None of these was met successful the lawsuit of Rivers.

Yes, by the clip the exigency was declared, Rivers State was successful governmental turmoil. Governor Fubara was astatine daggers drawn with the bulk of lawmakers successful the State Assembly. The bitter feud with his predecessor, turned estranged benefactor, Nyesom Wike, had paralyzed governance. Yet adjacent that situation hardly qualified arsenic a breakdown of instrumentality and bid warranting national intervention. The courts were inactive sitting. The constabulary and different information agencies remained functional. Civil medication had not collapsed.

A Dangerous Precedent

The declaration and suspension of antiauthoritarian institutions acceptable a unsafe precedent. If the president can, astatine will, region an elected politician nether circumstances not envisaged by the constitution, what past protects the autonomy of different states? Rivers is 1 of Nigeria’s astir strategicstates—politically, economically, and symbolically. To artifact with its law model undermines the national principle.

Fubara’s reinstatement, however, carries an adjacent much troubling dimension. Reports filtering from down closed doors suggest that the governor’s instrumentality was conditioned connected concessions that portion him of the precise powers that marque his bureau meaningful. Among the alleged conditions:

•Retaining commissioners and advisers loyal to Wike.

•Ceding power of the legislature to pro-Wike lawmakers.

•Avoiding immoderate probes into his predecessor’s administration.

•And, possibly astir stunningly, an statement not to question re-election successful 2027.

If these conditions are true, past Nigeria has connected its hands what whitethorn beryllium its astir powerless politician successful history—a person reduced to a ceremonial occupant of Government House.

The Irony of Reinstatement

In the theatre of Nigerian politics, reinstatement has often been equated with victory. Governors suspended oregon impeached successful arguable circumstances returnto thunderous receptions. Crowds poured into Port Harcourt arsenic well, jubilating astatine the extremity of exigency rule. Yet beneath the dancing and solidarity songs lies a heavy irony: the antheral of the infinitesimal whitethorn beryllium much diminished present than erstwhile helium was ousted.

Fubara’s soundlessness successful the days pursuing reinstatement did small to reassure his supporters. His lack from the nationalist stage, adjacent aft the lifting ofemergency rule, raised questions astir his autonomy. That Nyesom Wike, present Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, was the 1 speaking connected Channels Television to state peace, claiming to person forgiven Fubara and spoken with him, lone deepened suspicions astir wherever the existent powerfulness lies.

Godfathers and Governors

Nigeria’s Fourth Republic has ne'er lacked godfather-governor tussles. Chris Ngige’s abduction successful 2003 by Chris Uba’s loyalists successful Anambra, Peter Obi’s battles with financiers, and Akinwunmi Ambode’s one-term destiny nether Bola Tinubu’s instrumentality successful Lagos are reminders that godfathers often trial the resilience of governors. Yet, successful astir of these cases, governors fought back, sometimes astatine large cost, but astatine slightest asserted their law autonomy.

What makes Fubara’s lawsuit unsocial is the quality of surrender. Rather than waging a bruising fight, helium has reportedly accepted conditions that shackle his tenure from the outset. That raises a disturbing question: is Rivers State present governed by an elected politician oregon by an unelected powerbroker successful Abuja?

Implications for Democracy

The implications for Nigeria’s ideology ...