ABUJA, Nigeria — Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticised President Bola Tinubu for declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing the move as “political manipulation and outright bad faith.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, Atiku accused Tinubu of exacerbating the political crisis in the state and failing to prevent the escalation of violence.
President Tinubu had earlier declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday, citing persistent political instability.
He also suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the state assembly, while appointing retired Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as the state’s administrator.
However, Atiku argued that the declaration reeks of political motives and undermines democracy.
He blamed Tinubu for the ongoing crisis and recent pipeline explosions in the Niger Delta region, accusing the President of enabling chaos and instability.
“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,” Atiku said.
He added, “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.”
Atiku also highlighted the broader implications of the crisis for the Niger Delta region, noting that years of progress achieved under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration have been recklessly undone.
“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,” Atiku stated.
The former Vice-President condemned the punishment of Rivers State residents as a means to settle political scores, calling it an assault on democracy.
“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,” he said.
Atiku’s criticism comes amid growing concerns about the political crisis in Rivers State, which has seen escalating tensions between Governor Fubara and the state legislature.
The declaration of a state of emergency and the suspension of elected officials have sparked widespread debate, with many stakeholders questioning the constitutionality of the President’s actions.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has also condemned the move, urging the National Assembly to reject the suspension of Governor Fubara and other elected officials.
The association warned that the declaration of emergency rule could set a dangerous precedent for the misuse of executive powers.
