COMPENDIUM OF THE TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF THE EMERGENCY RULE ON THE PEACE, PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT OF RIVERS STATE.
– Robertson Jack (Port Harcourt) for Rivers Progressive Alliance.
As the emergency rule in Rivers State enters completes month, it is important to share this compendium of the terrible consequences of the imposed military styled emergency rule on the peace, progress and development of the State for the benefits of unsuspecting political supporters and awareness of all well meaning citizens of the State.
They are as follows;
1). ECONOMIC STRANGULATION:
● It is not in dispute that the economy of Rivers State has been gravely strangulated with the imposition of the emergency rule by President Tinubu.
● Unfortunately, the situation has been worsened by the several anti-economic decisions and actions of the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas; prominent among them is the cancellation of all pending procurement and tender processes initiated by the administration of Governor Siminialayi Fubara.
● That singular decision and other actions of the administrator have created distrust and scared away potential local and foreign investors from dealing with the State Government, thereby strangulating the local economy in whose advantage the cancelled projects and policies were intended.
● No matter how the hoaxer administrator pretends to mean well for Rivers people, within his period in Government House Port Harcourt, the local economy of the State will continue to suffer doldrum as there will be no major program, event, activity or business opportunities that will attract influx of people into the State and improve its local economy. Example is the shifting of the NBA’s Conference to Enugu State, which usually attracts thousands of lawyers across the country.
● In as much as the emergency rule remains, there will continue to be a state of uncertainty, and as such SMEs will continue to suffer decline in Rivers State.
● On its part, the Tinubu led administration has also not shown willingness to embark on any major project or resuscitation of any federal infrastructure in the State (like the 2 Seaports) that will improve the State’s economy, as presently done in Lagos and other selected States; instead the capturing of Rivers State and it resources to fund President Tinubu 2027 re-election bid seem to be the priority of the Federal Government.
2). DEVELOPMENT STAGNATION:
● The development and progress of Rivers State will also remain stagnant under the emergency rule, as the people-oriented campaign policies, plans and projects that were in the process of approval by the administration of Governor Fubara to further engage the youths and people across the 23 LGAs. have been halted by the Sole Administrator in a delibrate plan to return criminality and youth restiveness into the State, and use that as a reason to sustain his illegal stay in Rivers State Government House.
● As a total stranger who has a short illegal time to stay in office, with several legal impediments, it is obvious that the Military Administrator do not have what it takes to carry out any meaningful project or policy that will drive development and progress.
● Again, no investor will bring his or her money to invest in any project or business that will develop the State, especially when such project or business will require approval or partnership with a temporary Government that is not known to the Constitution of the Country as we have in Rivers State.
3). DAMAGED REPUTATION:
● The imposed emergency rule and the preceding ochestrated political crisis have unarguably damaged the reputation and image of Rivers State to the extent that it will require years of conscious efforts to redeem.
● Rivers State which was rated as the 3rd most developed State after Abuja and Lagos; and the most hospitable and civilised State in the Country can not presently boast of No.1 in the South South, thanks to desperate and selfish political leaders and their indoctrinated followers.
● The State is now associated with political desperation, primitive accumulation of public funds and a highly indoctrinated political supporters who are willing to bring down their State for the selfish interests of their leaders.
4). RIGHTS VIOLATION:
● It is a violation of the inalienable rights of Rivers people to suspend Governor Fubara who has in less than 2 years of his administration surpassed all previous administrations in terms of performance and accountability (the records are there). Most provocative is the fact that the suspension was done without verifiable reasons and against the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
● As always in the case of every military styled rule, the Sole Administrator has continued to trample on the rights of Rivers people by dismatling all democratic structures, appointing pro-Wike supporters into the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, and other State agencies, imposing of LGA. Sole Administrators and allegedly officating over several attacks and brutality against #BringBackFubara peaceful protesters by the Nigerian Police and other security agencies etc. Not to talk of the threats of arrest and intimidation against front line advocates for the return of Gov. Fubara under his watch.
5). CALAMITOUS DEMOCRATIC PROSPECT:
● Very worrisome is the fact that the prospect of Rivers State democracy is in serious calamity if calculated steps are not taken to change the narrative in some quaters, and the fight against the denationalisation of the State is not sustained.
● The pitiable situation is best captured by Miss Fiyah who said, “Mental slavery is the worst form of slavery. It gives you the illusion of freedom, makes you trust, love and defend your oppressor while making an enemy of those who are trying to free you.”
● As stated above, the imposition of emergency rule to patronize the selfish interest of the FCT. Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike has further emboldened some groups of young pro-Wike politicians, thereby creating a dangerous precedence and big threat to the democratic prospect of the State.
● These sets of young politicians have been indoctrinated to believe that politics is a game of zero integrity, power grabbing by all means, and the prioritisation of selfish interest above public good.
6). DIVERSION OF STATE FUNDS:
● The Lack of accountability and transparency under the Ibok-Ete Ibas led emergency rule is unprecedented to say the least.
● Following his illegal enthronement, the impostor Ibas has not revealed the amount of money he met in the State’s treasury and the monies received from internally generated revenue and federal allocation, neither has he given Rivers people any figure of his expenditure and income. He has rather occupied himself with the politics of deepening the political divide and provoking the people of Rivers State.
● Rumours have it that there are massive diversions of Rivers State Government funds, and giftings of new vehicles and other properties belonging to the State Government to top leaders of President Tinubu’s political family and leaders of Wike’s political family, hence the formation of the 21 member House of Reps. ad-hoc Committee to oversee the activities of the military administrator is seen by many as another way to further plunge the State’s resources.
● Sadly, Rivers State resources have been converted to a national cake, with the Aso Rock cartel and the National Assembly cartel going home with bigger chunks.
According to Martin Luther King, Jr., “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
It is therefore a grave injustice to single out Rivers State that is the golden hen for a clearly unjustifiable military style rule, while Lagos, Abuja and other States enjoys the golden eggs.
#BringBackFubara