Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has accused President Bola Tinubu of sacrificing Rivers State to his political ally, Nyesom Wike, against the will of the people. He described the president’s recent declaration of a state of emergency in the state as an act of anarchy, alleging that Tinubu removed a democratically elected governor and installed a sole administrator.
Speaking on Channels TV Thursday morning, Sowore condemned the president’s actions, stating, “We are witnessing impunity in its most obvious form.” He warned that Nigeria was in trouble if a president could hand over one of the country’s most prominent and resource-rich states to a political godfather.
The activist alleged that the emergency declaration was a reward for Wike’s role in Tinubu’s electoral victory, which he claimed was secured through manipulation in Rivers State. He further criticized the role of the Attorney General in enabling unconstitutional actions, stating, “Every time we face impunity, dictatorship, or unjust laws, the Attorney General is often the enabler. Maybe we should start scrutinizing that office more closely.”
Sowore dismissed claims that he was inciting anarchy, arguing instead that the federal government was responsible for the disorder in Rivers State. “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 asserted.
Reiterating his stance, Sowore warned that Nigeria’s democracy was under siege. “I don’t care about labels. If speaking the truth makes me an ‘anarchist,’ so be it. But what we are discussing here is not anarchy—it is the blatant destruction of democracy,” he said.
