Niger Delta rights campaigner Ann-Kio Briggs has emphasized the urgent need for transparency regarding the agreement reached between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, following the suspension of the six-month emergency rule in the state.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Briggs insisted that the residents of Rivers State deserved to be informed about the terms that paved the way for the governor’s return to office. According to her, secrecy surrounding such a deal could damage Governor Fubara’s credibility in the eyes of the people.
“We are the people who have paid the greatest price in all of these things, and to not be aware of the decision which will affect us, and therefore, we can’t gauge the extent to which these decisions will affect us, it becomes very difficult to flow with the politicians,” she cautioned.
Briggs argued that keeping the details hidden was “unacceptable,” particularly to the riverine communities where the governor originates. She further queried what President Tinubu might have demanded in the agreement and its implications for the people.
“It’s just an impossible situation where we have found ourselves. We don’t know what the President has insisted on, we don’t know what was agreed upon, and where that leads the people of Rivers State. So, we need to know what was agreed on,” she stressed.
The activist also echoed demands for Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retired), who served as the state’s sole administrator during the emergency rule, to render a full account of the public funds spent during his tenure.
“The state funds spent during the emergency rule belonged to the people of the state and should be accounted for,” Briggs maintained.
Governor Fubara officially resumed office on September 17, 2025, after being reinstated by President Tinubu. His return to the Government House in Port Harcourt was marked by a reception from his wife, senior security officials, and political stakeholders, after which he inspected his residence and resumed official duties.
Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly had been suspended on March 18, 2025, following political unrest that prompted the declaration of emergency rule.
okay.ng reports that the political landscape in Rivers State remains tense as residents await clarity on what the presidential deal entails and how it may shape governance in the months ahead.
