Opinion
Crystal-Gazing 2019 Polls In Rivers
Life has a way of teaching us lessons, sometimes very big ones. From the point at which we exit the womb, we learn one lesson after the other until we return to dust, as the Holy Book puts it. The beauty of it all is in the manner we learn from the great opportunity given us by the creator: that we almost always have an experience to fall back on, in any situation we find ourselves as humans.
Take the once popular ‘Mike Tyson’ haircut, for instance. Shortly after he became a heavyweight boxing champion at the record youngest age of 20 in 1986, every lad who wanted to belong, as it were, soon took to his style of haircut. It was the in-thing back then.
Interestingly, the Mike Tyson haircut, which came into being in the mid-eighties, was, in fact, a popular hairstyle in the sixties. The difference, which was the real Tyson-style, was that rather than having a straight parting from either side of the front to midway on the top to behind direction of the head, Tyson’s was a short diagonal parting from the left, pointing towards the dome.
Again, Tyson’s improved punk cut was relatively very low, with the sides round the skull blended in skin level shinny pattern in such a way that it was difficult to identify the exact spot from which the punk started. This was different from the clear line of the same cut in the sixties.
Thus, Tyson’s improved version of punk hairstyle was finer, neater and more pleasing to the eye, compared to the real punk hairstyle of the sixties. It is virtually the same thing in several other facets of life’s endeavours, including politics.
Unfortunately, while the advanced climes have attained their present status by seemingly adhering to improved and more appealing ways of doing old things, in the Tyson hairstyle fashion, developing climes like Nigeria are still embroiled in either repeating the same old ways, or, worse still, going back beyond the old ways in a modern fashion.
This is what my crystal ball showed me in the currently contemplated issue of postponing elections in Rivers State when the 2019 elections kick-off this month.
A peep through my crystal ball into the two statements by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Voter Education and Publicity in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Festus Okoye, presented the picture of a gloomy cloud over Rivers State. It showed an imposed darkness in which people are compelled to feel their path almost blindly by the touch of their hands. Soon, a very heavy wind came from nowhere and swept the gloomy cloud away. In its wake, two scenarios played out: in the first, people were seen walking in different directions but around the periphery of the scene in focus. In the second, fewer people, walking in deliberately calculated strides, were converging at the center, and with all audacity. By the time the majority at the periphery turned around and saw that the few had converged at the center, all hell broke loose.
Okoye’s first of two addresses relating to the elections in Rivers stated in part: “… If the court gives an order too close to the elections and it is impossible then to conduct the elections, especially for that stream of elections, we would have no choice but to undermine the elections and then move it a little bit.
“Based on the Electoral Act and the constitutional provisions, we still have a small window within which to act. That presupposes that the issue we are going to have will just be state-specific. We are going to conduct such an election as a slightly off-season election away from the general elections”.
In his second address, which came after his first had attracted widespread condemnation, Okoye said: “The commission reiterates the fact that only the political parties and candidates whose names appeared on the list released by the commission on the 17th day of January 2019 will contest the February 16, 2019 elections in Rivers State and it is only the parties on that list that will be on the ballot on election day and returns for the election will also be made on the basis of such parties and candidates.
“The election will, therefore, be conducted on the basis of the political parties and candidates that emerged through valid party primary elections and whose names have been published by the commission.”
A peep into my crystal ball suddenly showed such a disjointed picture: first, over Okoye’s first speech, a silhouette of zigzag movement in a path that gloomily showed what looked like signs leading to Ekiti and Osun States momentarily surfaced and disappeared.
The second, which was a clearer picture, showed a finger from the cloud attempting to ensure that identified officers on a chess board are placed strategically on the chess board in order to capture the opponent’s King, which is the essence of a chess game.
In the ensuing bluff and counter bluffing attacks that followed between the two players, the hitherto unassuming opponent roared. And, suddenly, the chess board was covered with a thick cloud. Nobody could identify any official, not even a pawn, on the chess board.
The message from my crystal ball may be clearer when one considers that, in Nigeria, any time a sensitive message suddenly pops-up and is played down because there is an opposition, the essence of that message has a way of turning up on an appointed day, even if it has to be in a deceitfully improved version.
This is where those in positions to make history repeat itself would need to know that, like the Tyson hair style, which was pleasant to the people, any history not appealing to the majority of the people can only spell doom.
If nothing else, one thing is certain: however the Rivers election turns out, it will be a precedent that will hunt everyone concerned, directly or indirectly. The question is which version of repeat do we need: improved, or disproved, for the sake of the people? The reason is that, at the end of the day, the people will still note what transpires, no matter how incapacitated they are made to be, and all of it will come to play some day, maybe in ways none of the key players now can ever envisage.
Soibi Max-Alalibo
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
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