Members of the Rivers State Caucus in the National Assembly have strongly condemned Senator Henry Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West) over what they termed “unwarranted and inciting” comments regarding the recent state of emergency declared in Rivers State.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, ten lawmakers from the state expressed deep dismay at Senator Dickson’s recent press conference, in which he criticized the emergency declaration and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reinstate suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara during his June 12 Democracy Day address.
“Rivers State is not under military rule,” the caucus stated. “The current Administrator, Vice Admiral (Rtd.) Ibok-Ete Ibas, is a retired officer—just like Senator Dickson is a retired police corporal. Neither qualifies as serving military personnel.”
They described Dickson’s characterization of the situation as “military rule” as “misleading and intellectually dishonest.”
The lawmakers argued that the state of emergency was declared in line with constitutional provisions following months of political instability, disregard for democratic processes, and executive impunity. They cited the Supreme Court’s February 28, 2025 judgment, which concluded that “there was no government in Rivers State.”
They asserted that President Tinubu acted within the law under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, stating: “The bold step averted a full-blown crisis. Without that timely intervention, orchestrated chaos would have crippled governance and civil life.”
They also reminded the public that Governor Fubara himself had publicly thanked the president for his intervention, adding, “Senator Dickson cannot be crying more than the bereaved.”
The caucus further accused Dickson of stoking ethnic tensions and partly contributing to the political instability by paying solidarity visits to the suspended governor.
“It is extremely unfortunate that a former governor, a serving senator, and a retired police corporal—trained to uphold law and order—would make comments capable of inciting unrest,” the statement read.
The lawmakers also referenced a past incident in which Senator Dickson, during his tenure as Bayelsa State governor, allegedly stormed a Federal High Court with armed men to disrupt proceedings—calling into question his democratic credentials.
“With his antecedents, Senator Dickson is not qualified, grossly incompetent, and unfit to claim to protect democracy,” they declared.
They called on security agencies to monitor the senator’s activities and urged the Senate Committee on Ethics to investigate what they described as his “unparliamentary actions.”
Signatories to the statement include:
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