Why FG must provide lasting solutions on Rivers crisis now
The Federal Government (FG) should intervene to resolve the conflict between the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike and the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara to allow the citizens to enjoy true Dividends of Democracy in the state.
The rift between the two elephants may escalate into violence, threatening the state’s stability and security. Just a few days ago about five persons lost their lives and properties worth millions of naira destroyed including three local government headquarters burnt down.
The Newly sworn-in chairmen of some of the LGAs were also chased out of their offices by the marauding thugs. This came as President Bola Tinubu directed the police to provide security to the LG officials, restore and maintain peace, law and order immediately. Calling for peaceful coexistence by the federal government is not enough.
It is clear that local elections in Nigeria are often influenced by state Governors, who wield significant control over the process. This is largely due to the role of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs), which manage local government elections and sometimes operate under the governors’ supervision
The challenges facing local government elections are Limited Autonomy where SIECs often lack independence, leading to interference from governors and state governments. Also insufficient resources hinder the effectiveness of local electoral processes.
The characteristics of such elections are always marred by low voter turnout undermines the legitimacy of local elections and opaque electoral processes erode public trust.
The Governors in all the 36 states control and can compromise the integrity of local elections, undermining democratic principles.they may manipulate the process to install loyalists, rather than competent leaders.
By addressing these challenges and promoting electoral reforms, Nigeria can foster more democratic and representative local governance by ensuring that the local government elections are taken over by the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a solution to the setback. Therefore, Rivers state is not different from other states in the conduct of the local councils elections but the interest playing out has gone beyond reasoning.
The conflict between Wike and his predecessor, Fubara has caused distraction to good governance, hindering development projects and service delivery to citizens. The feud has affected both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Party (APC), extending even to national politics.
The protracted conflict has scared investors, harming Rivers State’s economy. The earlier intervention comes from the federal government ensuring respect for the rule of law and democratic processes, the better we all will be. The FG should initiate dialogue between Wike and Fubara with equal representation from all sides.
It is critical that FG’s timely intervention prevent escalation, promote peaceful resolution, ensure governance continuity and protect citizens’ interests by maintaining national stability. Also, there is an urgent need for FG to ensure that Local Government (LG) autonomy becomes realistic for effective grassroots governance and development. The benefits of LG Autonomy will be improved service delivery, enhanced community participation, increased accountability, better resource allocation and reduced corruption.
Nigeria is in dire need of good leadership. The President should lead the charge.
