In a formal letter to US President Donald Trump, the National Democratic Coalition, a well-known political organization, requests that Nigerian Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, and the newly appointed Rivers State Sole Administrator, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, be prohibited from entering the country.
A copy of the letter, which was signed by Lloyd Ukwu, the Executive Director of NADECO-USA, and sent directly to US President Trump at the White House, was provided to DAILY POST on Friday.
Lloyd Ukwu claims that the visa suspension would be a fair reaction given the significant role that Senator Akpabio, Mr. Abbas, and Mr. Ibas played in the “undemocratic act” that occurred in Rivers State.
The National Democratic Coalition (NADECO USA) would like to draw your attention to an urgent issue that is extremely concerning: Nigeria’s deterioration of democratic values.
President Bola Tinubu proclaimed an irrational and unlawful state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025. He illegally granted himself exceptional powers under the Nigerian Constitution by using this declaration, which enabled him to suspend the members of the state’s House of Assembly, Mr. Sim Fubara, the lawfully elected governor of Rivers State, and his deputy, Dr. Ngozi Odu. In defiance of the Nigerian Constitution and globally accepted democratic ideals, he later named retired vice admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas as the administrator of Rivers State.
“It is crucial to note that the President’s illegal actions could not have succeeded without the support of the Senate, led by Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio, as well as the current Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Tajudeen Abbas.
“This action not only undermines the democratic foundations of Nigeria but also disregards the will of the people of Rivers State, who elected their governor through a lawful democratic process. As a global champion of democracy, the United States has a vested interest in promoting and protecting democratic values worldwide.
“In light of this, I respectfully request that the President direct the United States Department of State to impose a visa ban on Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio and his family, Speaker of the House of Representatives Mr. Tajudeen Abbas and his family, and the illegal Administrator, Mr. Ibas, along with his entire family. This measure would serve as a strong statement in support of democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria, reinforcing the United States’ commitment to these fundamental principles.
By doing this, the US would make it quite evident that it will not stand for acts that subvert democracy and popular will. Given the significant role played by Senator Akpabio, Mr. Abbas, and Mr. Ibas in this undemocratic conduct, I think this move would be a fitting response.
In the letter, NADECO-USA also stated that it was working to examine a similar request for a visa ban for Senator Akpabio and his family, Mr. Abbas and his family, and Mr. Ibas and his family from the UK and the EU.
Along with the aforementioned measures, NADECO USA will pursue all legal and political options, both at home and abroad, to hold Senator Akpabio, Mr. Abbas, Mr. Ibas, and their associates responsible for their destructive attempts to sabotage Nigeria’s nascent democracy and destabilize not just Rivers State but the entire Niger Delta.
“NADECO USA would be grateful if you will give this request some thought and take the appropriate measures. The letter says, “As President of the United States, I have no doubt that you will continue to support and advance democratic values in Nigeria through the Department of State and your Embassy in Abuja.”
This occurs months after Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other elected officials were suspended on March 18, 2025, when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared an emergency in Rivers.
According to the DAILY POST, Ibas gave the Nigerian Senate Committee a N1.48 trillion budget that he said anticipated Fubara’s comeback to power.
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