Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan has condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to suspend Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other elected officials, stating that the move damages Nigeria’s international image.
Speaking at the Haske Satumari Foundation Colloquium in Abuja, Jonathan expressed disappointment over the removal of elected leaders, calling it a troubling development for democracy. “These actions by key actors in the executive and legislative arms of government paint the country in a negative light,” he remarked.
His comments come days after Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing ongoing political instability. The president subsequently suspended Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly for six months, appointing retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas as the state’s administrator.
“In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (retd.) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate,” Tinubu stated.
President Tinubu justified the emergency measure by citing Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, arguing that the intervention was necessary to restore peace. He added that the proclamation had been published in the Federal Gazette and sent to the National Assembly for approval.
Meanwhile, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has denied allegations that senators were bribed with U.S. dollars to support the emergency declaration. Akpabio’s media adviser, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, dismissed the reports, stating, “There has never existed any reason to share any money in such a solemn meeting, and no money in any currency was shared.”
The political crisis in Rivers State continues to draw national attention, with analysts debating the implications of Tinubu’s decision on Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
