Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has launched a scathing attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of sacrificing Rivers State on the altar of political expediency to reward his ally, Nyesom Wike, for allegedly manipulating the 2023 elections in his favor.
Sowore, speaking on Channels TV on Thursday morning, described Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State as an act of brazen impunity, warning that it sets a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.
> “We are witnessing impunity in its most obvious form,” Sowore declared.
The activist claimed that President Tinubu’s decision to sideline a democratically elected governor was a political payback to Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for his role in allegedly rigging the elections in Rivers State to favor the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
> “When the President of a country can sacrifice an entire state—one of Nigeria’s richest and most prominent states—just to please a political godfather, then Nigerians are in serious trouble.”
According to Sowore, the real motive behind the federal government’s interference in Rivers politics is to control the state’s treasury and pave the way for future electoral manipulations.
“They’re not doing this for democracy; they’re doing this to secure control of Rivers State’s resources and to manipulate the next election cycle. Every move they’ve made so far is part of a grand scheme to consolidate power for the godfather.”
Sowore did not hold back in his criticism of the National Assembly, calling it a “useless” institution that merely rubber-stamps executive decisions. He lambasted lawmakers for failing to intervene in what he described as an unconstitutional takeover of Rivers State.
> “They didn’t even wait for the National Assembly to debate the issue. They rushed ahead with their plan because their goal was to release the state’s funds to an illegitimate appointee who was not elected by the people of Rivers State.”
He further argued that the Supreme Court had earlier ruled to halt the state’s allocation until certain democratic concerns were addressed, yet the federal government had chosen to completely disregard that directive.
Sowore also took aim at Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), accusing him of aiding and abetting executive lawlessness.
> “Whenever Nigeria faces dictatorship, impunity, or unjust laws, the Attorney General is often the enabler. This unconstitutional takeover of Rivers State is another example of how the office of the AGF is being used to defend the indefensible.”
He likened the current crisis to the infamous annulment of the June 12, 1993 election, noting that legal officers have historically played a key role in undermining democracy.
Responding to allegations that his remarks were inciting anarchy, Sowore turned the accusation back on the federal government, insisting that Tinubu and his allies were the true architects of chaos.
> “Somebody imposed his friend on a state that already has elected officials. Soldiers have been sent in, the governor has been driven out—this is anarchy. So why are you accusing me of promoting anarchy? If there’s anarchy, it is the federal government that has imposed it on Rivers State.”
He warned that Nigeria’s democracy is under siege, urging citizens to wake up and resist authoritarian rule before it is too late.
“Justice is not about maintaining peace in a graveyard—it’s about fairness and accountability. If speaking the truth makes me an ‘anarchist,’ so be it. But what we are witnessing here is not anarchy—it is the blatant destruction of democracy.”
A Call to Action
Sowore concluded with a rallying call to Nigerians, insisting that docility and silence would only embolden those seeking to erode democratic governance.
> “Nigerians have been too complacent, too quiet, and perhaps too cowardly. More people must rise to reclaim this country before it is completely hijacked.”
With Rivers State now at the center of a high-stakes political battle, the coming weeks could determine whether democracy will prevail—or whether godfatherism and political impunity will tighten their grip on Nigeria’s future.
PIONEER NEWS 