Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly condemned the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, accusing President Bola Tinubu of failing to prevent the crisis and using federal power for political gains.
Atiku’s remarks, shared in a strongly worded statement on social media, allege that Tinubu has played an active role in the deepening political instability in Rivers. He claimed that Tinubu’s administration either enabled or ignored the escalating tensions that led to violent unrest and destruction of critical infrastructure in the state.
“It is an unforgivable failure that under Tinubu’s watch, the Niger Delta has been thrown back into an era of violent unrest—undoing the hard-won peace secured by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua,” Atiku stated. He further argued that the state of emergency serves as a tool for political manipulation rather than a genuine security measure.
The crisis in Rivers has been fueled by a prolonged power struggle between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who now serves as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Many believe Tinubu's backing of Wike has worsened tensions.
While the federal government maintains that the move was necessary to curb lawlessness, opposition leaders and civil society groups have criticized it as an attack on democracy. Atiku insisted that the decision to suspend democratic governance in Rivers punishes the people rather than addressing the real political conflict.
Social media reactions have been mixed, with some users agreeing that Tinubu has mishandled the crisis, while others argue that the state of emergency was necessary to restore order.
With tensions escalating, all eyes remain on the federal government’s next steps and whether opposition leaders will challenge the emergency declaration through legal or political means.
