The United States-based National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) has formally petitioned President Donald Trump to impose visa bans on three key Nigerian political figures following what it describes as an unconstitutional seizure of power in Rivers State.
The organization is targeting Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, and Rivers State Administrator Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency on March 18, 2025, in oil-producing Rivers State and suspended the state governor, his deputy and all lawmakers. The declaration resulted in the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months, with retired Vice Admiral Ibas appointed as administrator.
In a letter directly addressed to Trump at the White House, NADECO-USA Executive Director Lloyd Ukwu condemned the action as a fundamental violation of democratic principles and Nigeria’s constitution. The organization characterized Tinubu’s declaration as “unfounded and unconstitutional,” arguing that it allowed the president to fraudulently grant himself extraordinary powers to remove democratically elected officials.
The petition specifically targets the three officials for their alleged roles in enabling what NADECO describes as an illegal power grab. Ukwu’s letter emphasizes that Tinubu’s 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.”
The National Assembly endorsed President Tinubu’s declaration of the state of emergency in Rivers State, which NADECO views as complicity in undermining Nigeria’s democratic institutions. The organization argues that this action disregards the will of Rivers State voters who elected their governor through legitimate democratic processes.
NADECO’s appeal to the Trump administration frames the requested visa restrictions as essential to defending democracy and holding accountable those who participate in what it calls undemocratic acts. The organization specifically requests that the State Department impose visa bans not only on the three officials but also on their family members, describing this as a proportionate response to their involvement in undermining democratic governance.
The coalition is expanding its diplomatic pressure campaign beyond the United States, revealing plans to pursue similar visa ban requests from the United Kingdom and European Union for the same individuals and their families. This multi-pronged approach reflects NADECO’s strategy to isolate Nigerian officials it views as complicit in democratic backsliding.
NADECO-USA has indicated it will utilize “all available legal and political avenues, both domestically and internationally” to ensure accountability for what it describes as efforts to undermine Nigeria’s emerging democracy and destabilize the Niger Delta region. The organization views the Rivers State situation as having broader implications for democratic governance across Nigeria.
The petition represents a significant escalation in international criticism of the Rivers State emergency declaration, with diaspora organizations now actively seeking foreign government intervention through diplomatic sanctions. NADECO’s appeal to Trump positions the United States as a crucial defender of democratic values and calls for concrete action to reinforce America’s commitment to supporting democracy worldwide.
The organization’s letter concludes with confidence that the Trump administration, through the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, will continue to promote and support democratic values in Nigeria, framing the requested visa bans as consistent with America’s broader foreign policy objectives in promoting democratic governance globally.
