The presidency has strongly criticized former Vice President and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over his remarks condemning the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Tinubu, in a nationwide address on Tuesday, announced the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu for six months while imposing emergency rule in the state.
Reacting to the announcement, Atiku issued a statement on Tuesday night, describing the move as politically motivated and an act of bad faith. He accused the president of being complicit in the political crisis in Rivers State, stating that Tinubu’s administration either facilitated or failed to prevent the escalating turmoil.
“The declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State reeks of political manipulation and outright bad faith. 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 asserted.
In a swift response, the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Olusegun Dada, rebuked Atiku for his statement, insisting that President Tinubu acted within his constitutional powers as outlined in Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution.
Dada further reminded Atiku of how he and his former principal, then-President Olusegun Obasanjo, had exercised similar authority to declare states of emergency in Ekiti and Plateau States during their tenure.
Taking to social media, Dada wrote: “Alhaji, calm down. Mr. President acted within his powers as enshrined in Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, the same way you and your boss exercised your powers to declare a state of emergency in Ekiti and Plateau. As an elder statesman, you should know when to separate emotions from logic.”
The exchange adds to the growing debate over the decision to impose emergency rule in Rivers State, as political stakeholders continue to react to the development.
