Gladness Gideon
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has assured that President Bola Tinubu will revoke the emergency rule in Rivers State as soon as stability is restored.
Speaking in a recent interview, Idris emphasized that the decision was not driven by political interests but was necessary to address the governance breakdown in the state.
“As soon as he assesses that sanity has returned to Rivers State, he will ensure the restoration of all democratic structures,” the minister stated, adding that President Tinubu “will not wait a minute longer than necessary.”
He dismissed speculations that the move was a strategy for a political takeover, asserting that the president had no plans to assume control of the state or appoint a governor.
“The president has no intention whatsoever to take over the governance of Rivers State. He has no intention to be or to appoint a governor for Rivers State,” Idris clarified.
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The minister explained that the emergency rule was imposed due to a total collapse of governance, making it imperative for the president to take what he described as a “responsible but painful” action within constitutional boundaries.
“The way democracy is designed in this country is that the three arms of government must work together, and one will be checking the other,” Idris said. “So, we cannot have just the executive functioning and say we have a functional democracy. We didn’t have that, and therefore, the president had to act.”
The state of emergency in Rivers has sparked widespread debate, with some critics questioning its necessity. However, the federal government insists that the measure is temporary and aimed solely at restoring order.
As tensions persist, all eyes remain on President Tinubu’s next move, with stakeholders hoping for a swift return to constitutional governance in the oil-rich state.