Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing it as a politically motivated maneuver and an abuse of power.
In a statement posted on X on Tuesday, Atiku accused Tinubu of being a “vested partisan actor” in the ongoing political crisis in Rivers, alleging that the president deliberately allowed tensions to escalate for political gain.
“The declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State reeks of political manipulation and outright bad faith,” Atiku wrote.
“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 did not hold back in his criticism, linking the crisis to Tinubu’s administration, which he accused of failing to prevent security breaches that led to the destruction of critical national infrastructure in the oil-rich state.
“Beyond the political scheming in Rivers, the brazen security breaches that led to the condemnable destruction of national infrastructure in the state land squarely on the President’s desk. Tinubu cannot evade responsibility for the chaos his administration has either enabled or failed to prevent.”
The former PDP presidential candidate further lamented that the Niger Delta region, which had enjoyed relative peace following the amnesty program introduced by late President Umaru Yar’Adua, was now witnessing renewed unrest under Tinubu’s leadership.
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“It is an unforgivable failure that under Tinubu’s watch, the Niger Delta has been thrown back into an era of violent unrest and instability — undoing the hard-won peace secured by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. Years of progress have been recklessly erased in pursuit of selfish political calculations.”
Atiku argued that rather than taking responsibility, Tinubu was punishing the people of Rivers State over political power struggles between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his rivals, including FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
“If federal infrastructure in Rivers has been compromised, the President bears full responsibility. Punishing the people of Rivers State just to serve the political gamesmanship between the governor and Tinubu’s enablers in the federal government is nothing less than an assault on democracy and must be condemned in the strongest terms,” he concluded.
Atiku’s remarks come amid mounting controversy over the state of emergency, which has seen the suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy, and the Rivers State House of Assembly. Critics argue that the move is a direct assault on democracy and could set a dangerous precedent for political interference at the state level.
With Rivers now under the control of a federally appointed administrator, the political fallout is expected to deepen, as opposition voices, including Atiku, continue to push back against Tinubu’s actions.