Rivers Tension: NADECO Petitions Trump, Demands Sanctions On Top Nigerian Lawmakers

The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) has written a formal petition to former U.S. President Donald Trump, urging him to impose a visa ban on Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, and the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas.

Operating from the United States, NADECO made the request in a letter sent directly to Trump at the White House. The document, signed by NADECO-USA Executive Director, Lloyd Ukwu, described the appeal as vital for defending democracy and ensuring accountability for those enabling unconstitutional actions.

In the letter, NADECO raised alarm over what it termed a grave assault on democratic principles in Nigeria. It alleged that on March 18, 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared an unconstitutional state of emergency in Rivers State, using it as a pretext to unlawfully suspend the elected governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the state’s House of Assembly. Tinubu, according to the coalition, then appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas as administrator in violation of Nigeria’s constitution and democratic norms.

NADECO emphasized that these actions could not have been carried out without the complicity of the National Assembly, particularly Senator Akpabio and Speaker Abbas, who supported the executive overreach.

The letter urged the U.S. government to take a firm stance by directing the Department of State to impose a visa ban not only on Akpabio, Abbas, and Ibas but also on their immediate families, arguing that such a move would reaffirm America’s commitment to democracy and rule of law in Nigeria.

Furthermore, NADECO disclosed plans to push for similar sanctions from the United Kingdom and the European Union, stating it would explore legal and political options both within and outside the U.S. to ensure the trio is held accountable for “undermining Nigeria’s young democracy and destabilizing the Niger Delta region.”

The group concluded by urging the U.S. government to act decisively, expressing confidence in the leadership of President Trump and the U.S. State Department to stand firm in support of democratic ideals in Nigeria.