Two prominent legal commentators have expressed contrasting views on the end of the six-month state of emergency in Rivers State and the prospects for Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s return to office.

Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, a lawyer, former presidential aide and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, defended the intervention, describing it as both lawful and necessary to restore order.

“Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures. Six months were sufficient to cleanse the Augean stable in Rivers,” Obono-Obla said.

He argued that the suspension of the governor and legislature, along with the appointment of a sole administrator, were constitutional tools aimed at resetting governance.

According to him, the governor now has the opportunity to reflect, reconcile, and return with humility and a renewed purpose.

In contrast, Justice Osai Ahiakwo, a public affairs analyst and clergyman, faulted the exercise, warning that it had caused more damage than good.

“Rather than restore normalcy, the emergency rule was weaponised to capture Rivers’ resources and weaken the governor,” Ahiakwo said.

He condemned what he described as the abuse of Section 305 of the Constitution, likening the move to “a political coup” and warning that it had left the state on autopilot.

“This was less about security and more about truncating the people’s mandate,” he added.

While Obono-Obla insists the intervention has opened a window for reconciliation and maturity in governance, Ahiakwo maintains that its scars will linger in Rivers politics long after its expiration. (The Guardian)