The Presidency has defended President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the political crisis rocking Rivers State, insisting the move was fully within constitutional bounds and supported by national lawmakers across party lines.
In a strongly worded statement, the government said Tinubu’s invocation of emergency powers under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution followed credible security reports, which indicated widespread unrest, coordinated attacks on federal institutions, and a dangerous breakdown of governance in the oil-rich state.
“The situation in Rivers clearly met the constitutional threshold for extraordinary measures,” the statement said. “Persistent political violence, sabotage of federal assets, and near-total paralysis of governance are intolerable in any democratic society.”
According to the Presidency, the National Assembly ratified Tinubu’s declaration with a decisive bipartisan majority, underscoring the urgency and national consensus behind the federal intervention.
The proclamation suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and key state officials, pending a return to normalcy.
Officials were quick to dismiss claims that the action amounted to removing the governor.
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“Suspension is not removal,” the statement clarified. “It was a constitutional safeguard to restore order — not a political takedown.”
The Presidency also addressed the recent public commentary made by Vice President Kashim Shettima, whose remarks were interpreted by some as critical of Tinubu’s decision.
The clarification was emphatic: Shettima’s comments were historical reflections on public service and personal anecdotes, not a rebuke of the President.
“The Vice President stands shoulder-to-shoulder with President Tinubu in these difficult but necessary actions. Misinterpreting his words to suggest a rift is either dishonest or ignorant of the context,” the statement read.
The Presidency urged media outlets and political actors to resist sensationalism, warning against “fabricating divisions” within the administration at a time of delicate national concern.