Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other opposition leaders have strongly condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State. They have demanded an immediate reversal, calling it unconstitutional and a threat to democracy.
At a press conference held today at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, Atiku, alongside former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and other political figures, criticized the suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the State House of Assembly.
In a national broadcast on Tuesday, President Tinubu announced the suspension and appointed retired Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, as the sole administrator of the state.
During the press conference, the opposition leaders described Tinubu’s move as an attempt to seize control of Rivers State undemocratically.
“We, a cross-section of leaders and political stakeholders, have come together to address the dangerous and unconstitutional actions taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” they said. “This action is not only unlawful but a clear attempt to subvert democracy.”
They argued that the crisis in Rivers State did not justify an emergency declaration. They insisted that Governor Fubara had been working to implement the recent Supreme Court ruling on the political situation in the state, despite provocations from rivals.
