By Gift Chapi-Odekina, Abuja

Members of the Rivers State Caucus in the National Assembly have strongly condemned what they described as “unwarranted and inciting” comments made by Senator Henry Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West) over the recent state of emergency declared in Rivers State.

Addressing journalists on Friday in Abuja, ten lawmakers from the state expressed “utter dismay” over Senator Dickson’s recent press briefing, in which he criticized the emergency declaration and called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to use his June 12 Democracy Day address to reinstate suspended Governor Siminilayi Fubara.

“Rivers State is not under military rule,” the caucus stated firmly. “The current Administrator of the state, Vice Admiral (Rtd.) Ibok-Ete Ibas, is a retired military officer—just as Senator Dickson is a retired police corporal. Neither can be described as a serving military personnel.”

The lawmakers described Dickson’s reference to the situation as “military rule” as “misleading and intellectually dishonest.”

They argued that the emergency declaration followed a constitutional process due to “rising political instability, executive rascality, and disregard for democratic institutions,” referencing the Supreme Court judgment of February 28, 2025, which stated that “there was no government in Rivers State.”

According to the lawmakers, President Tinubu acted lawfully under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to restore peace and order in the state.

“The bold step averted a full-blown crisis. Without that timely intervention, orchestrated chaos would have crippled governance and civil life,” the statement read.

They also claimed that Governor Fubara himself had publicly appreciated President Tinubu for the intervention, saying:

“Senator Dickson cannot be crying more than the bereaved.”

Furthermore, the caucus accused Dickson of fueling ethnic tension through visits to the suspended governor, and held him partly responsible for Fubara’s political troubles.

“It is extremely unfortunate that a former governor, a serving senator, and a retired police corporal—who by training should uphold law and order—would make comments capable of inciting unrest,” the lawmakers said.

The caucus also accused Dickson of past misconduct, alleging that as governor of Bayelsa State, he once disrupted court proceedings by leading armed men to a Federal High Court, calling into question his democratic credentials.

“With his antecedents, Senator Dickson is not qualified, grossly incompetent, and unfit to claim to protect democracy,” the statement added.

The caucus urged security agencies to monitor the senator’s activities closely and called on the Senate Committee on Ethics to investigate what they described as his “unparliamentary actions” in relation to the Rivers State situation.

Signatories to the statement include:

Sen. Barry Mpigi

Sen. Allwell Onyesoh

Hon. Kingsley Chinda

Hon. Dumnamene Dekor

Hon. Solomon Bob

Hon. Felix Nwaeke

Hon. Kelechi Nwogu

Hon. Cyril Hart Godwin

Hon. Blessing Chigeru Amadi

Hon. Victor Obuzor