- Say, Nothing to cheer as suspension was illegal
By Obinna Uballa
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former Labour Party 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi have faulted President Bola Tinubu’s handling of the Rivers State political crisis, insisting that the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and state lawmakers was unconstitutional, in the first place.
Tinubu had in March declared a state of emergency in Rivers following a protracted standoff between Fubara and lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. He suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the House of Assembly, appointing a sole administrator to run the state for six months.
On Wednesday, the President lifted the emergency rule and directed Fubara and the lawmakers to resume work on September 18.
Reacting in a post on X, Atiku dismissed the move as illegal, arguing that Tinubu had no authority to suspend elected officials. “Lifting the suspension of Governor Simi Fubara is nothing to cheer about. The suspension was unconstitutional when it was done six months ago and is still illegal today. President Tinubu had no power to suspend a democratically elected governor and state lawmakers. The Rivers shenanigans only signpost the dictatorship of the Tinubu administration,” he said.
Obi, in a separate statement, described the episode as “a misstep that should not have happened,” warning that the breach would leave lasting scars on Nigeria’s democracy. “The restoration of democracy in Rivers State after six months of needless disruption remains a sour side of our democracy today. It was a constitutional breach that will hurt our democracy for a long time,” he wrote.
While congratulating the people of Rivers for their endurance, Obi urged Fubara, lawmakers, and political leaders in the state to embrace peace and learn from the episode. “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing. A true leader is one who admits mistakes, learns from them, and corrects them,” he said.
