Taiwo Popoola
A chieftain of the All-Progressives Congress, APC in Rivers State, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in the state.
In making the declaration the President had cited heightened tension in the state and the alleged destruction of several oil pipelines by militants as justifications for his action.
Eze, in a statement in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, said Nigerians and the international community already know that the lingering political altercation between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and loyalist assembly members was instigated by the Tinubu administration to capture Rivers State either by hook or crook.
Tuesday night President Tinubu addressed the nation, primarily in response to the political crisis in Rivers State.
During the address, he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State.
Expressing concern over the political turmoil in the oil-rich state, Tinubu stated that he was “greatly disturbed” and accused Governor Fubara of demolishing the State House of Assembly building.
He added that after evaluating the situation, he had decided to Declare a state of Emergency on 18 March
He announced the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu, for six months and appointed an Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas, Rtd, to steer the affairs of the state for the period of the pendency of the emergency rule.
Eze slammed the President for failing to highlight the fact that the 27 State Assembly members led my Martin Amaewhule frustrated the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment, particularly for turning down invitations from the Governor for a discussion to chart a way forward and refusing to accept and deliberate on the 2025 appropriation bill when the Governor tried to present same to them during plenary.
Eze said the President’s stance in the circumstance clearly reinforces and points to his long perceived biased leaning in the whole imbroglio.
“Mr President fueled the crisis and pushed the narrative through the FCT Minister and his lackeys in the State Assembly,” Eze alleged in his statement.
“On the other hand, one can safely say that having failed to use his 27 loyal Assembly members to remove the Governor, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike succeeded in procuring President Bola Tinubu to achieve, to some extent, the onerous task of getting Governor Fubara out of office, though temporarily but illegally too.
“There is nowhere in the entirety of Section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, which President Tinubu cited as the source of his power to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, that the removal or suspension of a democratically elected Governor is envisaged.
“One therefore wonders where the President derived his powers to suspend a democratically elected Governor.
“On several occasions, more particularly in 2013, President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in some terrorist-infested states in the northeast region without removing the Governors of those states because he was properly guided to understand that such action is ultra vires his powers and if taken would undermine the basic principles of democracy, escalate the crisis and occasion political unrest.
“Since the President took over power in 2023, Nigerians have died in droves; in hundreds and thousands from terrorist attacks, herdsmen invasions, hunger, and other nefarious acts from non-state actors in different parts of the country to warrant a declaration of a state of emergency, but he never did, but a mere threat to oil facility has prodded the President to act with the swiftness of a magic wand. So, in Nigeria, oil facilities matter more to the government than human life.
“By this unpatriotic, ill-advised and pre-meditated act of national disgrace, Tinubu has really shown he is not what Nigerians think of him.
“At his age, experience and considering his leadership and managerial acumen, one would have thought that President Tinubu would be patriotic, humane, unbiased, upright and truthful in the handling of the political crisis in Rivers State.
“Without mincing words, the declaration of a state of emergency and subsequent suspension of Governor Fubara, his Deputy and the State Assembly without suspending Nyesom Wike, his appointee, who is the arrowhead of the political crisis in Rivers State, is an affront on Nigeria’s democracy and stands highly condemned.
The fact that Tinubu chose to heap unjustifiable blame on Fubara, condemning and casting aspersion on his person, lucidly portrayed the President’s action as one taken in bad faith, and lacking in natural justice.
“So, Tinubu did not see Wike’s role in the political saga or that of the 27 defected lawmakers?
He stated that the ” state of emergency” was “declared to perpetuate a state capture,” adding that “suspending Fubara, while Wike, the major culprit in the political war in Rivers State continues working in Abuja and absolved of any blame, is shameful.
