Rivers State’s declaration of a state of emergency by President Bola Tinubu has drawn criticism from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum.
According to the governors, the action was unjust, polarizing, and detrimental to democracy.
In a countrywide speech on Tuesday night, President Tinubu declared the emergency, stating that law and order had to be restored. As a result of this ruling, all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and his deputy Ngozi Odu were placed on six-month suspension.
In order to handle the issue, Tinubu designated retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas to assume leadership of the state.
The PDP Governors’ Forum, which is headed by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, responded by issuing a statement on Wednesday that expressed grave worry over the political situation in Rivers. The forum charged Tinubu with making matters worse instead of better.
Tinubu was also chastised by the governors for failing to confront Nyesom Wike’s involvement in the situation as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The president’s silence, they claimed, had permitted Wike to act without repercussions.
The forum expressed its solidarity with Governor Fubara and the residents of Rivers State, cautioning that halting democratic government is a risky step that could jeopardize Nigeria’s democracy and stability.
“The Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum notes with grave concern and utter misgiving the suspension of democratic rule in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his nationwide broadcast of Tuesday, 18th March, 2025,” the forum said in its statement.
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“This unjustified but planned attack on Rivers State, the Peoples Democratic Party, and other opposition parties is today the greatest threat to democracy in our beloved country, Nigeria, and it is an ill wind that will blow no one any good,” the statement added.
Additionally, the governors cited concerns expressed by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on the suspension of elected officials. A state of emergency must adhere to constitutional requirements, the NBA emphasized.
The PDP Governors’ Forum declared Tinubu’s decision to be undesirable and unlawful, agreeing with the NBA’s stance.
The Forum pledges to read Section 305(3) of the Constitution in a way that is consistent with the NBA’s position. “We cannot tolerate this authoritarian behavior,” the statement continued.
