Renowned Nigerian musician, Dr Alban Unoma Nwapa, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it an unconstitutional overreach that undermines democracy.
Dr Alban, who was a dominant figure in the Nigerian music scene in the late ‘90s and 2000s, expressed his disapproval, arguing that instead of suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the Rivers State House of Assembly, the President should have called Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to order.
“The President should’ve called Wike to order rather than declare a state of emergency on Rivers. Calling Wike to order would’ve been the sensible thing to do because he is the reason we got into this whole mess in the first place,” he said.
The crisis in Rivers State escalated due to the prolonged power struggle between Wike and Fubara, leading to the emergence of a parallel Assembly and legal battles over the legitimacy of lawmakers. The Supreme Court had ruled that the defection of 27 lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was invalid, leading to their reinstatement. However, when Fubara attempted to present the 2025 budget, he was prevented from accessing the Assembly complex.
Dr Alban described Tinubu’s decision as not only undemocratic but also wasteful, questioning the financial burden of deploying a new administrator and thousands of security personnel to the state.
“You suspended both the governor and his deputy, even when you do not have the constitutional power to do so. The State House of Assembly will cease to function for the next six months as well? Come on, this is absurd,” he lamented.
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He further criticized the National Assembly’s approval process, particularly the use of voice voting to determine the required two-thirds majority for the state of emergency.
“This voice voting, it’s crazy! How do you determine two-thirds by voice voting? This is madness,” he said.
Dr Alban warned that Tinubu’s actions could set a dangerous precedent, suggesting that other governors might also be at risk of arbitrary suspension.
With debates ongoing over the legality and implications of the state of emergency, Nigerians are left wondering whether Tinubu will reconsider his decision or if Rivers State will endure prolonged political instability.