That Rumour On State Of Emergency

Since the release of results of the 2015
General Elections in Rivers State, nothing
has been the same in the state. While  Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike is recording history in development, the opposition is posting threats, rumours and predictions of a political clampdown from Abuja.
The first rumour was a report of a two-pronged plan to remove the Governor from office: That the Supreme Court of Nigeria would annul the election and before a rerun, EFCC would be used to ‘finish him’ and/or the opposition would take majority of the seats in the House of Assembly and impeach the Governor.
When all that failed, and  all the election related crises over, everyone hoped that  residents of the State would rally round the Governor Wike administration that has already proven beyond every doubt that  among others, it is prepared to govern, it knows the real desires of the people and that  it has the will and courage to re-invent the state.
It was therefore surprising that security issues in the State were deliberately exaggerated and celebrated in the media. A group of persons who have been identified to be political rivals of the present government in Rivers State actually went on to call for the outright cancellation of the rerun elections of March 19, 2016 based on electoral violence.
Just then the rumour of a possible declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State spread like wild fire.  Of course, all well meaning Rivers people dismissed it with a wave of the hand because it is simply laughable. Certainly, not with worse cases of violence and criminality in other parts of the country.
As a matter of fact, the objective of this editorial was to caution Rivers people from spreading rumour of the declaration of State of Emergency.  Of course, our innocent thinking was that some persons were trying to give President Muhammadu Buhari, who had not said anything to suggest same, a bad name.  There was no way the bitterness of some persons who lost elections should result in State of Emergency.
But when the President said in a meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that Rivers State was the deadliest State in Nigeria, even non-Rivers people saw that something had gone wrong and that a foundation may be forming for the declaration of a State of Emergency.
Interestingly, the rejection of that statement by Mr President was nationwide.  It was only then that Rivers people realised the conspiracy against the Rivers people.  Consequently, different groups including the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, the PDP caucus in the Senate among others spoke up against the suggestion.
The Tide is disappointed in the politicians who have decided to endanger the lives of more persons even after the elections. It is indeed a shame that anyone worth being a son/daughter of Rivers State will call for and indeed insist on the declaration a State of Emergency in Rivers State.  What kind of political desperation is this?
Politics is not a do or die affair; it has been said over and again.  It is neither a war nor a power contest where one wins because of the amount of harm he/she can inflict. It is the decision of the people to choose who they want to lead them.  The one that is not chosen should go back and restrategise and wait for another opportunity.
But this idea of destroying everything because one was not elected is demonic.  Among the group that has become rather too desperate are persons who had won elections before and their opponents did not close down the State.  The feeling that some persons own Rivers State and its people is worse than being primitive.
We still believe the Federal Government knows enough not to be misled to declaring a State of Emergency in Rivers State.  It will not only become a very dangerous precedent, but will destroy the fledgling democracy and its ethos.  So much would be lost and nobody will be able to tell the next generation what happened.
The issue of insecurity in Rivers State as elsewhere is condemnable and the Federal Government which controls the police and the other arms of security operatives will be expected to do more.  Unfortunately, the state of insecurity is nationwide, only last week, a Colonel of the Nigerian Army was abducted in broad day light and killed in Kaduna.
As a matter of fact, Rivers was calm until parties started preparing for the 2015 elections.  Added to it, the military embarked on arms mop-up and provoked suspicion and killings.  Happening in an environment of active youth cultism, security was a concern, but there was no breakdown of law and order.
Rivers people are peace-loving and very reasonable.  It will be in the interest of all, especially, those who are seen to be pushing for this inglorious sanction that a State of Emergency is not declared.  It is on record that the Rivers people are peaceful and will not like to see anything that will provoke them.