Senior lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, OCJ Okocha (SAN), has issued a blunt assessment of the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, saying many are deliberately ignoring the root of the problem.
Speaking at a youth gathering in Port Harcourt, Okocha declared that what people often called “peace” in Rivers was nothing more than “the peace of the graveyard.” He stated clearly that the current conflict between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and former governor Nyesom Wike did not start recently, nor is it the real cause of Rivers’ troubles.
“People don’t want to admit the obvious,” Okocha said. “They pretend not to see the truth. Some still claim Rivers was peaceful. But how can you call it peace when even the Supreme Court described the state as being run like a military regime?”
Okocha recounted his involvement in the peace meeting called by President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, where he said all parties, including Governor Fubara and Minister Wike, agreed to an eight-point resolution to end the crisis.
“After each point was read, President Tinubu would ask, ‘Do we all agree?’ And we all said yes,” he recalled. “I was physically present.”
He also criticized those ignoring the judgment of the Supreme Court regarding the leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly, stating that no democracy can survive if court orders are ignored.
“Anyone who refuses to obey a court judgment is not upholding the rule of law,” Okocha warned. “Three or four people cannot form a House of Assembly. The constitution doesn’t allow that.”
Okocha said he was part of the political process that brought Fubara into office and expressed disappointment over how things have turned out. However, he emphasized that only justice and respect for the constitution could bring lasting peace to Rivers State.
He urged political leaders to act with integrity and warned against any calls for emergency rule, stressing that the people want progress, not federal intervention.
“We must avoid turning Rivers into a failed state. The law must guide us all,” he concluded.
You made a complex topic so easy to understand. Great job!