Niger Delta rights activist Ann-Kio Briggs has called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara to come clean on the terms of the agreement he reached with President Bola Tinubu before the lifting of the six-month emergency rule in Rivers State.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Briggs insisted that the people of Rivers had the right to know the details of the closed-door deal, warning that Governor Fubara’s silence could undermine his credibility among those who bore the brunt of the political crisis.
“We are the people who have paid the greatest price in all of this. To not be aware of the decision that will affect us, and not be able to gauge its impact, makes it very difficult to flow with the politicians,” she declared.
Briggs described the secrecy surrounding the pact as unacceptable, especially for residents of the riverine communities where Fubara hails from. She questioned what President Tinubu might have insisted upon, what was agreed, and how those decisions would shape the future of the state.
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The activist also pressed for accountability from Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), who served as the sole administrator during the emergency period. She demanded a full report on how public funds were spent while elected officials were suspended from duty.
“The state funds spent during the emergency rule belonged to the people and should be accounted for,” she said firmly.
Governor Fubara officially resumed office on September 17, 2025, after President Tinubu lifted the emergency declaration. He was welcomed back to the Government House in Port Harcourt by his wife, security chiefs, and key stakeholders before inspecting his residence and returning to work.
The governor, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly had been suspended on March 18, 2025, when emergency rule was imposed to quell political unrest.
Briggs’ demand has intensified pressure on the state government, with many residents now insisting that transparency is the only way to rebuild trust after one of the most turbulent chapters in Rivers State’s political history.
