Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet
Rivers State is on the brink of chaos, a political battlefield where power struggles have escalated beyond normal governance disputes into something more dangerous, more anarchic, and more destructive. The state is slowly but steadily slipping into a situation resembling Afghanistan – not in geography or religion, but in its descent into a lawless power tussle, where political warlords, institutional betrayals, and anarchy reign supreme.
The total collapse of governance structures in the face of political gladiators fighting for supremacy is a chilling reminder that Nigeria’s democracy is fragile, and when left unchecked, it can disintegrate into a dangerous free-for-all, where the people become mere collateral damage.
Political Warlordism: Who Controls Rivers?
At the heart of Rivers State’s crisis is a battle for absolute political control, one that has degenerated into open confrontation between powerful political figures, their loyalists, and the institutions that should maintain stability.
• The Wike-Fubara Feud: The most glaring example of this creeping anarchy is the open war between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The rift, which started as a mere power struggle, has escalated into institutional destabilization, with the state legislature, judiciary, and security forces divided along loyalty lines.
• A Legislature in Chaos: The Rivers State House of Assembly, instead of being a beacon of democracy, has descended into a rubber-stamp tool for political interests. Impeachment threats, counter-impeachments, and a legislature that no longer serves the people but political strongmen have become the order of the day.
The Rise of Institutional Betrayals
Rivers is now a state where political survival overrides the rule of law. Institutions that should be independent and functional are either compromised or rendered useless by the sheer force of political warlords.
• Security Forces as Political Tools: Police and other security agencies are no longer neutral arbiters but have become enforcers of political interests. One faction receives police protection, while another faction is harassed.
• Judicial Paralysis: The judiciary, instead of maintaining legal order, is either manipulated or intimidated, issuing contradictory rulings that fuel further division.
In the process, governance has taken a backseat. Who is governing Rivers State? The Governor? The Minister? The legislators? The police? At this point, it is difficult to tell because all seem to be at war, while governance rots.
A Democracy in Peril: The Afghanistanization of Rivers
The real danger in Rivers is not just the immediate crisis, but what happens if this pattern continues unchecked. The state is gradually transforming into a zone where power is determined not by governance but by the force of political warlords.
This mirrors the situation in Afghanistan, where:
- Loyalty to strongmen outweighs loyalty to institutions.
- Political survival is determined by control of force, not by democratic processes.
- The government exists in name but lacks real control over its own affairs.
If Rivers does not retrace its steps, it risks becoming a political wasteland where leadership is secondary to power struggles, where democracy is nothing but a meaningless label, and where the people suffer the consequences of elite battles.
Reclaiming Governance
Rivers must make a choice – either return to governance and the rule of law or embrace full-scale anarchy. The political actors must be made to understand that a state is not a personal empire, and that their power struggles are destroying lives, crippling the economy, and dragging the state towards irreversible chaos.
The people of Rivers must rise above political sentiments and demand real governance, real accountability, and real stability. Otherwise, they may soon wake up to find that they no longer live in a democratic state, but in a political Afghanistan, ruled by chaos, fear, and absolute lawlessness.
