Alhaji Atiku Abubakar criticizes President Tinubu for declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State due to ongoing political turmoil, attributing the crisis and resulting damage to infrastructure to Tinubu’s partisan involvement and failure to act. He highlights the impact of this unrest on the Niger Delta region, calling for presidential accountability and a condemnation of the situation.
Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has criticized President Bola Tinubu for announcing a state of emergency in Rivers State, which stems from an ongoing political crisis that has resulted in damage to pipeline infrastructure. Atiku characterized this decision as indicative of political manipulation and bad faith from the president.
Atiku accused President Tinubu of exacerbating the crisis in Rivers, labeling him a “partisan actor in the political turmoil engulfing Rivers.” His remarks came shortly after Tinubu’s nationwide broadcast on March 18, 2025, in which he also suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the state House of Assembly due to the disruptive political environment.
In response to the president’s declaration, Tinubu expressed his deep concern regarding the events in Rivers, stating that the state had become stagnant and that citizens were being deprived of effective governance. He noted ongoing efforts to rebuild the House of Assembly, which had been demolished, and asserted that it was necessary to declare a state of emergency to restore peace and governance in the state.
However, Atiku condemned the president’s lack of proactive measures to mitigate the crisis. He remarked, “Anyone paying attention to the unfolding crisis knows that Bola Tinubu has been a vested partisan actor in the political turmoil engulfing Rivers.”
Atiku further asserted that the security breaches leading to the destruction of national infrastructure in Rivers ultimately fall under the president’s responsibility. He declared, “Tinubu cannot evade responsibility for the chaos his administration has either enabled or failed to prevent,” emphasizing the repercussions of the current political instability in the region.
He lamented the return of unrest in the Niger Delta, describing it as an egregious failure under Tinubu’s administration. Atiku pointed out that this situation undermines the peace achieved by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, asserting that the hardship imposed on the people of Rivers State is a direct assault on democracy that warrants strong condemnation.
In summary, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has vocally opposed President Bola Tinubu’s recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing political manipulation and irresponsibility on the part of the president. He attributes the ongoing crisis and the resulting security breaches to Tinubu’s actions and inaction, stressing that the stability of the Niger Delta region is now at risk due to the political turmoil. Atiku’s call for accountability encapsulates the deeper issues at play in Nigeria’s governance and political landscape.
Original Source: allafrica.com
