Mixed reactions have greeted the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.
The Point had reported that the president had earlier on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the persistent political crisis and instability in the state.
Tinubu also suspended the governor, his deputy and the members of the state assembly.
He also nominated Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice-admiral, as the administrator of Rivers State.
Meanwhile, some prominent Nigerians have weighed in on the development, giving varying views. While some harshly criticised President Tinubu, others hailed him for the decision.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, in a statement issued on Tuesday evening, said the “declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers state reeks of political manipulation and outright bad faith”.
Attributing the political crisis and recent pipeline explosions in the state to the president, Atiku noted that the Niger Delta region has slipped into a period of violent unrest and instability.
He said punishing the residents of the state merely to fuel the political rivalry between the governor and Tinubu’s allies constitutes a direct attack on democracy.
“Anyone paying attention to the unfolding crisis knows that Bola Tinubu has been a vested partisan actor in the political turmoil engulfing Rivers. His blatant refusal — or calculated negligence — in preventing this escalation is nothing short of disgraceful,” the statement reads.
“Beyond the political scheming in Rivers, the brazen security breaches that led to the condemnable destruction of national infrastructure in the state land squarely on the President’s desk.
“Tinubu cannot evade responsibility for the chaos his administration has either enabled or failed to prevent.
“It is an unforgivable failure that under Tinubu’s watch, the Niger Delta has been thrown back into an era of violent unrest and instability — undoing the hard-won peace secured by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. Years of progress have been recklessly erased in pursuit of selfish political calculations.
“If federal infrastructure in Rivers has been compromised, the President bears full responsibility. Punishing the people of Rivers State just to serve the political gamesmanship between the governor and Tinubu’s enablers in the federal government is nothing less than an assault on democracy and must be condemned in the strongest terms,” the former Vice President said.
In the same vein, former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bode George, condemned President Tinubu’s declaration, calling it a blatant disregard for constituted authority.
George said, “This is absolute Armageddon—total disrespect for constituted authority. The Constitution has been viciously violated.
“We can’t keep quiet. This is recklessness of the highest order. What did Fubara do? As Commander-in-Chief, Tinubu gave Wike soldiers and security agents to destabilize Rivers State. The governor has no control over security agencies, yet he remained calm. Nobody has explained what he did to warrant this dictatorial emergency rule.”
George likened the situation to past political crises, stating, “This is exactly how it started in 1962 and 1983. It’s a dress rehearsal for what Tinubu wants to do in 2027. The APC wants to take control of all states through unconstitutional means.”
He questioned the legality of Tinubu’s actions, asking, “Did he get National Assembly approval before his broadcast? What happened in Rivers is the hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob. Why didn’t he declare a state of emergency in Lagos when lawmakers were fighting? Why invite Diete-Spiff and Niger Delta leaders last week if he already planned this?”
George concluded, “Is Tinubu now becoming a civilian dictator?”
Contrary to the above respondents, former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri commended President Ahmed Tinubu for declaring state of emergency in Rivers.
Omokri said “At last, Nigeria has a Commander-in-Chief rather than a Commander-at-Sleep! A President who is not just in power, but knows what to do with power”.
Corroborating Omokri’s view, former minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode commended Tinubu for declaring state of emergency in River State.
Fani-Kayode in a statement on his verified Facebook handle said, “When children refuse to stop fighting, father must step in”, applauding Tinubu’s declaration in the state.
“The declaration of a state of emergency by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rivers state is a bold and commendable move that will return sanity to the peace and sanity of the state. I also believe this will go a long way to bringing all the major players in the conflict back to their senses. When children refuse to stop fighting the father must step in lest they burn the house down”.
Meanwhile, a video that is going viral has revealed that troops of the Nigerian Army were seen heading to Rivers State Government House to enforce President Tinubu’s declaration as the state soaked in tension.
