Ann-Kio Briggs, a prominent member of the Rivers Elders Forum, has criticized the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for abandoning the people of Rivers State by neglecting to take timely action during the ongoing political turmoil in the region.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics program, Briggs highlighted that the PDP has enjoyed steadfast loyalty from Rivers residents since 1999 but failed to intervene effectively when internal conflicts intensified.
She remarked, “As an elder and stakeholder, I feel deeply disappointed by the PDP. The people of Rivers, myself included, have stood firmly behind the party since 1999. Had the PDP stepped in early-both within Rivers and as a leading political force in the Niger Delta-this crisis might have been prevented.”
The Niger Delta advocate also dismissed Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s public appreciation of President Bola Tinubu’s role in fubara-statewide-broadcast-text/” title=”… Siminalayi …'s Powerful Statewide Broadcast: Full Transcript Revealed”>mediating peace, emphasizing that this sentiment is not universally shared among Rivers citizens.
“Not everyone in Rivers State will forever be thankful to the President or the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike. Unlike the governor, who is a politician, I do not share the same level of gratitude towards the APC,” she explained.
Briggs further contended that both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP bear responsibility for exacerbating the crisis, while condemning the opaque nature of the peace deal reached by the involved parties.
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“It is unacceptable for politicians to forge agreements without public knowledge. We remain in the dark about the President’s demands, the terms agreed upon, and the implications for us. This secrecy alienates the people from their leaders,” she asserted.
She also called for transparency from retired Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, the former Chief of Navy Staff who served as the sole administrator of Rivers State during the six-month emergency rule imposed by President Tinubu in March 2025.
Briggs insisted that all expenditures during Admiral Ibas’s administration must be fully disclosed and accounted for.
“The key takeaway for the people of Rivers is to recognize that their rights surpass the power politicians believe they wield. These leaders owe their positions entirely to the people of Rivers State,” she added.
The rivers-tension-fubara-missing/” title=”Breaking: Tensions Soar in … as …'s Whereabouts Remain a Mystery”>political rift between Governor Fubara and Nyesom Wike over control of the state’s political machinery emerged soon after Fubara took office in 2023, fracturing the House of Assembly and destabilizing the state.
On March 18, President Tinubu declared a six-month state of emergency, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy, and members of the House of Assembly.
Fubara resumed office last week following the conclusion of his suspension.
