Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), along with his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, and other opposition leaders, have called on the National Assembly to reject President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
Speaking on behalf of the opposition leaders at a press conference on Thursday at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, Atiku accused President Tinubu of partisanship and the improper use of Section 305, which relates to the declaration of a state of emergency.
He demanded that the President revoke what he described as an unconstitutional proclamation and restore the elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and State Assembly of Rivers State.
“We urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately rescind this unconstitutional action and reinstate the duly elected officials of Rivers State,” Atiku said. “We also call on patriotic Senators and Representatives to vote against this illegal move when it comes up for approval in the National Assembly. The Assembly must stand on the right side of history and not allow itself to be used to legitimise an unconstitutional power grab.”
Rivers State has experienced political turmoil for nearly two years as former Governor Nyesom Wike and his successor, Siminalayi Fubara, have clashed, creating a deadlock in governance in the oil-rich state. In response to this instability, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday during a nationwide address.
The declaration included the suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all members of the state House of Assembly for six months. Additionally, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas was appointed as the state’s administrator. Military forces swiftly took control of the Rivers Government House in Port Harcourt.
While Governor Fubara expressed his concerns and urged for calm, the state House of Assembly voiced its support for the President’s decision.
Other opposition leaders present at the press conference included Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, represented by Yunusa Tanko; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai; National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Peter Ahmeh; and Segun Showunmi, the Convenor of the Alternative, among others.
The press conference also acknowledged the absence of several political figures, including former Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), and the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu.
