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A pro-democracy group, the Coalition of Civil Society in Defence of Democracy, has urged President Bola Tinubu to set up a reconciliation committee within 14 days to resolve the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State.
At a press conference in Abuja, the group’s convener, Dr. Olayemi Isaacs, criticised Tinubu’s decision to impose a state of emergency, suspending Governor Siminilayi Fubara, his deputy, and the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months.
Isaacs argued that the emergency rule would only create a “forced peace” while allowing hidden political tensions to fester. Instead, he called for a democratic reconciliation process to achieve lasting stability.
“The only way to restore peace in Rivers is through genuine reconciliation in a truly democratic setting,” Isaacs stated.
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The group accused Tinubu of siding with former Governor Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who they claim is responsible for the crisis due to his “overbearing rent-seeking behaviour.”
They demanded the formation of a non-partisan panel of eminent Nigerians to mediate between the rival factions, with a resolution reached within 60 days and the emergency rule lifted within 90 days.
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“Allowing this emergency rule to continue beyond 90 days will worsen the crisis and pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy,” Isaacs warned.
The group also urged political parties to prevent similar crises in other states to avoid further democratic disruptions before the 2027 elections.