Rivers emergency rule: PDP chieftain berates FG, Wike
By Jeleel Olawale
A senior member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Kayode Ogundele, has strongly criticised the Federal Government and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State. He described the move as unnecessary, arguing that the political differences at the heart of the crisis do not warrant such drastic action.
Speaking in an interview with Nigerian NewsDirect, Ogundele insisted that the state of emergency was unwarranted, as Rivers State was not experiencing the level of violence or chaos that would justify such a decision.
“A state of emergency should only be declared when a state is in a state of war—when people are being killed or maimed. But in this case, the president simply woke up and declared it. This action by the Federal Government is both illegal and unconstitutional, and it has rightly been condemned by well-meaning Nigerians,” he asserted.
According to Ogundele, the crisis in Rivers State stems from internal political disputes rather than any genuine security breakdown. He argued that such disagreements could have been resolved without resorting to the suspension of democratic governance.
“This is a political conflict among power players, not a situation that calls for emergency rule. Even when militants were bombing pipelines in the past, no state of emergency was declared,” he pointed out.
He further alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was using the crisis as part of a broader strategy to gain control of Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“This is all about 2027. APC knows Rivers State has the resources to sustain the country, and they are determined to take it at any cost. This is what they tried to do in Osun, but God intervened. It’s all political manoeuvring,” Ogundele stated.
He also took aim at Nyesom Wike, accusing him of being a tool used by the APC to weaken the PDP from within.
“Wike is no longer a true member of the PDP. He is working to destroy the party from the inside. The PDP should have expelled him long ago, but they fear him because of the political structure he controls. He is engaging in blatant anti-party activities, and it should be dealt with seriously,” he said.
According to Ogundele, Wike’s ongoing conflict with the Rivers State governor is evidence of his desire to maintain absolute control over the state’s political landscape.
“He is fighting tooth and nail to ensure no one rises above him politically in Rivers State,” he remarked.
Addressing communal tensions in Osun State, Ogundele claimed that the crisis there was artificially created by certain individuals seeking to destabilise the state. However, he commended the Osun governor for his leadership in managing the situation.
“The governor has used his wisdom and security expertise to de-escalate the crisis. These conflicts were deliberately engineered to create chaos, so the Federal Government would have an excuse to impose emergency rule in Osun,” he said.
Ogundele stressed that the situation in Osun and Rivers State were vastly different, as the crisis in Rivers was fuelled by political power struggles rather than communal unrest.
“The infighting in Rivers is between two political heavyweights vying for control. In contrast, the tension in Osun was deliberately stirred up by elements looking to create problems for the government,” he explained.
He accused the APC of trying to use local government chairmen and councillors as pawns in a broader scheme to undermine the Osun State government.
“The so-called YES/NO chairmen and councillors in Rivers State are part of a desperate plan to replicate the chaos in Osun. The APC in Osun has been making baseless accusations, but the governor has handled the situation with wisdom and ensured stability,” he said.
Ogundele praised the Osun governor for maintaining peace despite attempts to disrupt governance, adding that his leadership had frustrated the opposition’s plans.
“They wanted to create turmoil, hoping people would support them, but they have been left disappointed. The governor has remained steadfast, proving to be the most peaceful leader Osun has had,” he added.
He called on the people of Osun to continue supporting the state government in its efforts to drive development through ongoing projects, urging them to remain vigilant against attempts to destabilise the state.
