The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has assured that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will lift the state of emergency in Rivers State once stability is restored.
In an interview with Nation, Idris emphasized the President’s commitment to reinstating democratic governance in the state at the earliest opportunity.
“As soon as he assesses that sanity has returned to Rivers State, he will ensure the restoration of all democratic structures in that state,” Idris stated.
He reiterated that Tinubu has no intention of taking control of the state’s governance or appointing a governor.
“The President has no intention whatsoever to take over the governance of Rivers State. He has no intention to be or to appoint a governor for Rivers State,” he affirmed.
Defending Tinubu’s decision, Idris described it as “a very responsible but very painful” step taken in accordance with constitutional provisions.
He explained that governance in Rivers State had deteriorated, with the House of Assembly non-functional and the executive arm facing severe difficulties.
“The way democracy is designed in this country is that the three arms of government must work together, and one will be checking the other. So, we cannot have just the executive functioning and say we have a functional democracy. We didn’t have that, and therefore, the President had to act,” he explained.
According to the minister, Tinubu exercised his constitutional authority to prevent the state from descending into further disorder.
“Those who designed our constitution envisaged that this kind of situation could arise, and that was why they made the provision for it. The President relied on the constitution to exercise his powers and take action,” Idris stated.
The minister reaffirmed that Tinubu would not prolong the emergency beyond necessity, ensuring that full democratic governance is reinstated as soon as possible.
“The President will not wait a minute longer than necessary,” he assured.
