Rivers: “That Lawlessness Will Be Punished in 2027 by Niger Deltans” — Onochie to Tinubu

Lauretta Onochie, former media aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his handling of the political crisis in Rivers State, warning that the Niger Delta will not forget his actions when Nigerians head to the polls in 2027.

Onochie accused the president of imposing what she described as an illegal and unconstitutional emergency rule in Rivers State. Tinubu had, on March 18, 2025, declared a state of emergency in the state, suspending Governor Sim Fubara, his deputy, and all members of the state House of Assembly. The president then appointed retired naval chief Ibok Ibas as Sole Administrator to oversee the state during the suspension, citing the need to avert a deepening political crisis.

In a statement, Onochie wrote that Tinubu underestimated the backlash from the region, insisting that the people of the Niger Delta would punish what she termed “lawlessness” at the ballot box. “Tinubu never thought that the six months of hell he illegally and unconstitutionally imposed on Rivers State will come to an end. That lawlessness will be punished in 2027 by Niger Deltans. We are set,” she declared.