Opinion
Party, Politics And Niger Delta Region
Government has to do with the act of implementing poli
cies with a view to provide ‘an enabling environment for the citizenry.
In Nigeria today, impunity of some of our party leaders, involving inequality of wealth and opportunity vested on government functionartes are some of the major social problems affecting the electorates.
This inequality is a necessary part of private enterprise; the chances of making it in life, which spur persons to seek for work, save and invent.
There is no doubt that in the nineteenth century, the result of this incentive was remarkable; but today the evil consequence of impunity, politics of calumny and inequality in the conduct of government officials is the bane of the Nigerian Nation.
From early years of the nineteenth century, only limited number of persons in Nigeria obtained great wealth and power, but the masses lived in poverty, ill-fed and in-sanitarily housed, and with the merest fragments of education and opportunities.
The talents of children born into such conditions were necessarily stunted, and the development of industry made it progressively harder for a man to rise from the status into which he was born and most cases enslaved.
Hence it became difficult to argue that the great fortunes were the rewards of service, and this made the working class to assemble in towns and demanded for a better life, just as in the case of the Niger Delta Region in Nigeria’s polity today.
The government was induced to modify the rigours of capitalism by introducing social services, which eventually absorbed a larger part of the energies of the Nigerian Government.
These services, which include, Labour Employment, and Industrial Relations, Food Security, Housing, Health, Education and National security and Insurance schemes, cost a great deal and are sometimes represented as a burden on the country’s industry.
This is why there should be provision of functional healthcare delivery services, better and affordable housing and sanitary policy, well coordinated universal basic education system for our youths, as well as old and less. privileged people’s insurance policy to particularly protect the right and improved care for pensioners.
The cumulative positive impact of these services will definitely improve the standard of life of the poor masses. The better housing, care for old people and effective health care for the youths will reduce the wastage of life and resources through depression and disease.
Again, measures such as effective old age pensions and less privileged people social security, should equally be put in place to give them a sense of belonging and hope.
There is no need however, to justify the social services solely on the grounds that they increase the total wealth of an individual and the well-being of a country.
In Nigeria today, it is certain that the social services have materially increased the living standard of the citizenry particularly for government operatives.
Perhaps, the increasing rate of restiveness in the Niger Delta Region could be attributed to the seeming inequality of wealth in terms of development as opposed to the natural resources endowed with the region.
It is of common knowledge for the nature of man to live in communities, just the way the people of Niger Delta region find themselves in the Nigerian nation, and in the same vein, the different tribes that constitute Rivers State.
Man lives in this fashion in every part of the world today, and the evidence of history and prehistory shows how long he has done so.
The reasons for his habit do not concern politics.
Indeed, it is pertinent to note that man is moved by instincts and desires which can only find full satisfaction in community life, and economists also indicated that efficient production of wealth requires co-operation; therefore there are great advantages to be gained by living together.
Politics only comes in, to discuss with a view to addressing the problems which community creates.
Obviously ,when people live in a community, individuals or groups of people cannot do exactly what pleases them, as is the case with some of our leading politicians today.
Certainly, the people of the Niger Delta cannot continue to be restive without creating disorder to the Nigerian Government, neither can man kill, kidnap, or rob whomever he pleases without causing the society to collapse.
But if man was not restricted, if he has the liberty to do what he likes, much of man’s energy would be absorbed by the attempt to protect himself, by the task of getting a better living.
Therefore, it is suggestible for the on-going national conference to articulate reduction of the impunity clause in the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
Otherwise, the continuous state of general insecurity would prevent the development of any improved method of producing wealth.
Though we agree to the fact that the community life, means giving up certain liberties, in order to get more liberty, and that the life of man outside society, is “poor, solitary, nasty, brutish and short”, man should always obey the government since the government, however harsh, is there to serve its citizenry.
It should be noted that the same Government that provides liberties can also destroy it by placing it in the hands of unscrupulous people, such as dishonest and selfish politicians.
There is therefore, the need to also stress that politicians should play the game according to existing rules to avoid politics of calumny.
The seeming excesses of such politicians if not checked, may use the people’s mandate not for the good of the masses, but to make the majority, subject to their convenience as witnessed in some states within the region.
In the case of the Niger Delta Region in the polity of Nigeria, the affected communities will feel justified to request for a change in the policies of Government or a total change to an alternative Government.
The national Government of Nigeria should as a matter of priority, fashion our adequate remedial systems to keep the Niger Delta Region on a fast lane of human and physical development in the interest of justice and social harmony.
In as much as we reckon the establishment of the Niger Delta Development Commission as a special intervention agency of the development of the Deltaic Region, it should be suggested that component units or Departments should be created and decentralised. They should also be specifically charged with the responsibility. of providing for the sick, the aged, and the unemployed who are unable to fend for themselves to promote equality of opportunity, and prevent the inequality of wealth.
In the instance therefore, funding of the commission should not be politicised. The Federal Government should release with minimum delay all outstanding funds due to the Niger Delta Development Commission.
This is what the people of the Niger Delta Region expect from the National Government in return for its abundant non-renewable natural endowments.
Finally, delegates from the region, in the on-going- National conferences and our legislators should articulate the creation of more states and local government areas in the region, as panacea to the perennial struggle for the desired equality.
Fuayefika, a public affairs analyst, writes from Port Harcourt.
Tonye Fuayefika
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
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
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