Former federal lawmaker and social commentator, Senator Shehu Sani, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his neutrality in the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State.
Speaking in an interview with Arise TV News from 3:12, Sani praised the president’s decision to declare a state of emergency rather than siding with any of the warring factions.
The crisis in Rivers State has escalated in recent months, with tensions mounting between Governor Sim Fubara and his predecessor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Amid fears of a violent outbreak, Sani acknowledged that Tinubu’s move to impose emergency rule was a strategic decision aimed at preventing further instability. He warned that any attempt by the president to side with Wike and impeach Fubara would have resulted in widespread unrest across the state.
He described the crisis as a complex power struggle that had already defied multiple solutions, including legal, political, and even spiritual interventions.
The former senator noted that the situation had become so volatile that previous mediation efforts by elders, stakeholders, and even the judiciary had failed to bring peace. He stressed that allowing the conflict to continue unchecked could have dire consequences, not just for Rivers State but for Nigeria’s broader stability.
He said: “The options are two. For the side of Wike, they want an impeachment. I don’t think they want a state of emergency. And for the side of Fubara, they want to remain in office. If you take the side of impeachment, there will be violence. Rivers State people are out on the streets, lining up for the governor, and pipelines are being blown. So, if you impeach him, this is what could have happened. And if you refuse to impeach him, the point is that, for now, governance has been paralyzed and stagnated because of the rift between the State Assembly.”