by Nigerian News24 Correspondents
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revealed that he and his allies were aware of steps they could have taken to prolong the emergency rule recently imposed in Rivers State but chose not to.
Speaking on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television, Wike said the political crisis in Rivers had created opportunities for certain actions that could have allowed the emergency declaration to continue beyond its expiration date.
“We know what we could have done to make sure the emergency rule was extended, but we didn’t do it,” Wike stated, without disclosing specific details.
The minister stressed that contrary to speculations, the return of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly to their roles was a product of political maturity, not backdoor maneuvers.
Wike maintained that Nigeria’s democracy must be protected from tendencies that could undermine constitutional governance, adding that those who sought to benefit from the crisis in Rivers were disappointed.