Opinion
Exclusive List: A Show Of Shame In Rivers

Those who sing Federal Might in the irresponsible struggle to compromise the health security system of Rivers State, easily forget that this has been the music of the All Progressives Congress (APC) since they took over the Federal Government.
For Rivers State, the only project this present APC Federal Government has is a truckload of threats, victimisation, promotion of insecurity and unending attempts to rig elections.
Five years down the line, there is not a single FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROJECT initiated and executed by this failed APC Federal Government. Year after year, this unproductive administration has formed the habit of one mischief after another.
During the 2019 General Elections, the APC Federal Government used the Nigerian Army and F-SARS to unleash mayhem, deaths and deadly bloodshed in their quest to rig Governor Wike out of a deserved second term.
It got to the ugliest point when the Nigerian Army attempted to invade INEC Collation Centre in Port Harcourt in a last-ditch effort to abduct the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner and compel him to write results in favour of their preferred candidate. They were defeated before television cameras.
Even when the matter got to the tribunal, the APC Federal Government urged the former Rivers State Police Commissioner to write a negative security report to activate the relocation of Rivers State Tribunal to Abuja. When the commissioner refused he was transferred.
The compulsion to plot mischief against Rivers State since 2015 by the APC Federal Government should embarrass any reasonable person. Has anyone ever heard the APC Federal Government arguing about executing a project in Rivers State? Has anyone heard them promoting any positive issue in Rivers State?
Since the Coronavirus pandemic broke, the APC Federal Government has never done anything to check the spread of Coronavirus within Rivers State. All the Federal Agencies have done is to generate controversy with a view to weakening the health defence system.
Working with private corporate organizations, they have tried to compromise the health of Rivers people in total disregard for established health protocols. First, it was Caverton Helicopters and now it is ExxonMobil.
ExxonMobil, with no oil drilling operations in Rivers State, claims they had the permit of the masters of EXCLUSIVE LIST to move 22 Staff into Rivers State. When they were stopped to observe the mandatory 14 days quarantine, all hell was let loose. Writing under the compromised Mobil PENGASSAN, they said because they were on essential duties, they had the right to enter Rivers State unchecked and without test for Coronavirus.
They forgot that the Air Peace personnel were on essential duties for the Federal Republic when they were apprehended and quarantined by the Lagos State Government.
They have forgotten that several states, including the Federal Capital Territory, have arrested and prosecuted hundreds of Nigerians for contravening different aspects of their lockdown regulations to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
One wonders the reason for the desperation to import unscreened persons into Rivers State. It was even worsened when operators of EXCLUSIVE LIST issued threats to Rivers Service Commanders, directing them to work against the interest of the state.
As everyone expected, they have started to exercise their ugly power. They have redeployed the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, Mustapha Dandaura, with immediate effect. The reason for the redeployment is obvious. They want to manipulate the security process.
This latest redeployment is part of the APC Federal Government’s style since 2015. It is part of a perpetual struggle to undo Rivers State. They have continued to fail because Rivers people are vigilant.
On Friday, Governor Wike outlined their evil plot: “Some people want the escalation of the virus in Rivers State. People were paid to canvass a negative narrative on Caverton Pilots. We are doing what we can within available resources to fight Coronavirus. You can fly, but as you fly and land, don’t enter our territory.
“We will fight this matter legally. ExxonMobil does not operate in Rivers State. That they have a point at the Onne seaport does not mean that they operate in Rivers State. People in Abuja are not happy. They want Rivers State to be infected. They want to kill Rivers people and I will not allow it. I was elected to protect Rivers people. Rivers State is not a pariah State.
“The right thing must be done. We are talking about something that is killing people. They want Coronavirus to escalate in Rivers State. The law must be tested. Make sacrifice and let us contain the virus. Nobody will use Rivers State as a toy. This Federal Government does not like us, but a government will come that likes Rivers State. “
Should Rivers State let down her guard on the premise of essential services? Are they expecting the state to watch sheepishly while they move all manner of people around in the name of essential services? Why are all these so-called personnel on essential duties refusing to respect the Basic Health Protocols that are observed in Lagos?
There is another angle to this onslaught on Rivers State. The APC Federal Government and different classes of trade unions now issue similar press statements. Before their new-found love relationship, they were like cat and dog. PENGASSAN is suddenly embarking on media campaigns on behalf of the Federal Government. The goal is simple: give a dog a bad name. You know the rest.
Even though ExxonMobil has no operational base in Rivers State, it is pertinent to make clear-headed suggestions to the arrogant operators of EXCLUSIVE LIST.
As operators of EXCLUSIVE LIST, you are in desperate love for money to the detriment of Rivers people. Since you love money, why don’t you arrange for workers at the rig to remain there, while you follow due process of collaboration with Rivers Health Authorities to ascertain the Coronavirus status of fresh personnel heading to the rig as replacement. This is standard practice and it will cater for all interests.
This is a time for confidence building. If the operators of EXCLUSIVE LIST can joyfully collaborate with Lagos State Government for the deployment of staff on essential duties; why the under-the-table actions in Rivers State? Why the repeated plots to destroy established health systems using oil workers as the weapon of destruction?
Meanwhile, Governor Wike has continued to build the health security system of Rivers State to consolidate on the gains made by the state.
On Saturday, he locked down parts of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area to enforce social distancing. The decisions are tough, but they are vital for health and protection of Rivers people.
Nwakaudu is Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media.
Simeon Nwakaudu
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Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
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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