The storm surrounding the political crisis in Rivers State is far from over, as a new twist has emerged following a controversial statement by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. Speaking on the recent lifting of the six-month emergency rule in Rivers, Wike declared: “If we didn’t want the state of emergency to be lifted, we would have done one or two things to make sure it continued. But we did it for the interest of the state.”
The remark, which was clearly intended to showcase President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s magnanimity and his own supposed statesmanship, has instead reignited the long-standing accusations that Wike masterminded the chaos which plunged Rivers into one of the darkest chapters of its history.
A Crisis That Shook The Nation
The state of emergency in Rivers, declared on March 18, 2025, came after months of unrelenting turmoil — an open war between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly. Impeachment threats, budget paralysis, violent protests, and even reports of oil pipeline sabotage painted the state as a ticking time bomb.
When President Tinubu invoked Section 305 of the Constitution to suspend the executive and legislature, replacing them with retired naval chief Ibok-Étè Ibas as sole administrator, the nation gasped at the scale of the intervention. Many asked: who benefitted from this manufactured chaos? Fingers pointed almost immediately in one direction — Nyesom Wike, the former governor turned Abuja power broker, who still pulls the strings in Port Harcourt politics.
Wike’s Slip Of Tongue?
Wike’s latest comment, far from silencing critics, has been seized upon as a veiled confession. By openly admitting that he and his allies could have influenced whether the emergency rule stayed or went, he has, perhaps unintentionally, confirmed what detractors have shouted from rooftops: that the crisis was not just spontaneous, but carefully stoked by vested interests.
Observers say the statement amounts to boasting about his ability to control the temperature of Rivers politics at will — to fan the flames when it suits him, and to douse them when the time is right.
“It is a slip of tongue that unmasks the puppeteer,” one political analyst remarked. “For months, Wike denied being behind the unrest, yet here he is, casually admitting that he had the power to prolong or end it. That is as close to a confession as it gets.”
Political Capital In Chaos
Wike’s opponents argue that he weaponised the crisis to tighten his grip on Rivers State and to remain politically relevant on the national stage. With Fubara struggling to assert independence and the Assembly paralyzed, Wike positioned himself as the indispensable power broker, the one man who could either stabilise or destabilise Rivers.
Even more damning is the perception that Wike used the chaos to demonstrate loyalty to President Tinubu, projecting himself as both the enforcer and the peacemaker, a political actor whose reach extended far beyond Abuja.
Tinubu’s Calculated Gamble
While Wike basks in the spotlight, many are crediting President Tinubu for refusing to extend the emergency rule. According to the Presidency, new intelligence suggested that Rivers stakeholders had embraced a spirit of reconciliation, making it unnecessary to prolong what was supposed to be a temporary measure.
By lifting the emergency on September 17, and restoring Governor Fubara, his deputy, and the House of Assembly the following day, Tinubu not only restored constitutional governance but also outmaneuvered those accused of profiting from instability.
Backlash And Renewed Debate
Wike’s statement has now triggered a firestorm of debate across Rivers and beyond. Social media is awash with furious reactions, with many branding him the “architect of anarchy.” Civil society groups are demanding an investigation into his role, while critics insist the minister should be held accountable for pushing Rivers to the brink of collapse.
“Wike’s words are not mere rhetoric,” said a Port Harcourt-based lawyer. “They are an admission of complicity. You don’t claim you could prolong an emergency unless you had a hand in the events that created it in the first place.”
For now, Wike continues to insist that his only concern is the stability of Rivers State and that lifting the emergency rule was a decision made in the overall interest of the people. But his words have left a trail of suspicion that even his famed bravado cannot easily erase.
In politics, slips of tongue are often more revealing than carefully scripted speeches. And in the case of Nyesom Wike, one careless remark may have given Nigerians the clearest insight yet into who truly engineered the crisis that brought Rivers State to its knees