Undemocratic Restoration of Governance in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu – Otunba Babatunde Olushola Senbanjo

By Otunba Babatunde Olushola Senbanjo (BOS)

Fellow Nigerians, it has become necessary to speak with clarity, truth, and unwavering courage regarding the current developments in Rivers State, and particularly the role President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has chosen to play under the guise of “restoring democratic governance.” What is unfolding before our eyes is not democracy, nor is it the spirit of federalism, nor is it the will of the people being respected; it is, in fact, a crude and calculated attempt to impose control, undermine the sanctity of institutions, and drag Rivers State into needless political subjugation.

Democracy, by definition, thrives on the will of the people freely expressed through established processes. The people of Rivers State went to the polls, made their choices, and entrusted their mandate to a government that emerged through the ballot. Yet, rather than allowing that mandate to flourish, what we see today is an external imposition, orchestrated at the highest level, under the banner of “restoration.” Let us be clear: true democracy does not need to be restored by force it thrives naturally when the people’s voice is allowed to stand unaltered.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s intervention is not only misplaced but also a dangerous precedent for the future of Nigerian democracy. What message are we sending to the rest of the federation if Rivers State, one of the most strategically important states in Nigeria, can have its internal governance hijacked under the guise of reconciliation? Does this mean that the sanctity of state autonomy is subject to the whims of presidential influence? Is this the federalism our constitution envisaged? Certainly not.

Let us ask ourselves: who benefits from this so-called restoration? Is it the ordinary people of Rivers, who struggle daily with unemployment, infrastructural decay, and economic challenges? Or is it the political gladiators in Abuja, who see Rivers State not as a sovereign entity within the federation, but as a battleground for relevance and control? The answer is glaring.

Democracy is not restored through intimidation, selective interference, or backroom bargains brokered in the corridors of Aso Rock. It is restored through respect for the constitution, the separation of powers, and the principle that state matters must primarily be resolved within the state, not dictated by presidential fiat. Rivers people have the capacity, the wisdom, and the courage to resolve their internal differences without external manipulation disguised as national interest.

What is happening in Rivers today is not restoration, but the erosion of democratic values, the erosion of federal principles, and the erosion of the people’s trust. And if Nigerians remain silent, this dangerous pattern may replicate itself in other states whenever it suits the political convenience of the powers in Abuja. That is not democracy; that is authoritarian federalism clothed in democratic language.

We must, therefore, reject this so-called restoration. We must insist that Rivers State belongs to Rivers people. We must stand firm that democracy cannot be restored by one man’s decree, but by the collective will of the people. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should focus on the national crises of inflation, insecurity, unemployment, and economic hardship rather than inserting himself into the internal political arrangements of a federating state.

Let history record that in this season, voices of conscience rose up to say NO. No to manipulation. No to erosion of democracy. No to federal overreach. Rivers State deserves better, Nigeria deserves better, and true democracy deserves better.