The declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria has sparked mixed reactions from political figures, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar strongly condemning the move while former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode applauded it.
Tinubu, in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, announced the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all 27 elected members of the state House of Assembly for an initial period of six months. The president cited the prolonged political crisis in the state and the recent bombing of oil pipeline infrastructure as reasons for his decision.
Atiku: ‘Tinubu is a Partisan Actor’
In a swift reaction, Atiku Abubakar criticized Tinubu’s intervention, calling it an act of political manipulation and bad faith. The former Vice President accused the president of deliberately allowing the crisis to escalate for political gain.
“Anyone paying attention to the unfolding crisis knows that Bola Tinubu has been a vested partisan actor in the political turmoil engulfing Rivers,” Atiku said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Atiku further blamed Tinubu for the security breaches that led to the destruction of national infrastructure, insisting that the president bears responsibility for the unrest in the Niger Delta.
“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,” he added.
Fani-Kayode: ‘Tinubu Took the Right Step’
On the other hand, Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation and strong ally of Tinubu, commended the president’s decision, describing it as a bold and necessary move to restore order.
“The declaration of a state of emergency by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rivers State is a bold and commendable move that will restore peace and sanity in the state,” Fani-Kayode wrote on Facebook.
“When children refuse to stop fighting, the father must step in lest they burn the house down,” he added, referencing the prolonged political crisis in the state.
Next Steps
Following the declaration, Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the state’s affairs. While the judicial arm of government remains unaffected, the suspension of elected officials has raised concerns about democratic governance in Rivers.
