In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday, the opposition party described the move as a “coup staged against Nigerians” and a deliberate effort to undermine constitutional rule.
The African Action Congress (AAC) has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it an attack on democracy and a dangerous precedent for governance in Nigeria.In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday, the opposition party described the move as a “coup staged against Nigerians” and a deliberate effort to undermine constitutional rule.
“The declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by the Tinubu regime has not come as a shock to those who are politically alert, as this has been part of their grand plot to bury democracy finally and abuse whatever is left of governance in Rivers State,” the statement read.In a statement signed by Femi Adeyeye, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, the AAC further attacked Tinubu, branding his actions as cowardly, unpresidential, and a blatant assault on the rule of law.
“We in the AAC wish to state unequivocally that the declaration is a cowardly act, an uncivilised move, unpresidential and dangerous to our democracy.
This malicious move is yet another evidence of the terrible rulership (not to misuse the word, ‘leadership’) by Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”The opposition party accused Tinubu of reducing the judiciary to a powerless institution, arguing that the courts had already handled the crisis in Rivers State and the president’s action demonstrated open contempt for due process.“The declaration by the Tinubu regime rubbishes the potency of the rule of law. It embarrasses the courts and reduces the judiciary to an arm of government that’s non-existent and inefficacious, as Nigerians can recall that the aggrieved parties in this saga have had their time in court. Tinubu, through this mindless declaration, has just told Nigerians that the courts are incapable of settling disputes and he has declared anarchy.”
The AAC also accused Tinubu of hypocrisy, recalling that he had strongly condemned former President Goodluck Jonathan for declaring a state of emergency in northern states in 2013.
“Nigerians can also recall that the same Tinubu wrote a lengthy epistle in 2013 blasting former President Goodluck Jonathan when he declared same in some northern states. The hypocrisy of Tinubu stinks. Only cowards behave in this backward manner.”
The party warned that Nigeria’s democracy was in a critical state, arguing that the international community, particularly regional neighbours in West Africa, would see Tinubu’s actions as a sign of dictatorial rule.
“We are worried that the ‘Boy Scouts’ in Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso would be having a good laugh tonight as they read that the spineless ECOWAS Chair has declared military rule in one of the most important states in Nigeria.”AAC blamed both Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for fueling the crisis in Rivers State.
Tinubu and his errand boy, Wike, have failed to quell the crisis they created and they’ve now added more fire to the situation at hand. We reject this declaration totally and state that any government that cannot protect people and property without trampling on constitutionality and the rights of the people is not worthy to be called a government.”
The party called on Nigerians to remain vigilant and resist any attempt to impose military-style rule under Tinubu’s administration.
“We call on Nigerians to be vigilant and resist frontally every form of military rule under any guise by the Tinubu regime,” the party added.The declaration of a state of emergency came after Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The president also appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the state’s Administrator.In his nationwide address, Tinubu justified the emergency rule by citing security concerns, vandalism of oil pipelines, and the ongoing political instability in the state.
He specifically blamed Fubara for failing to rebuild the Rivers State House of Assembly after it was demolished, adding that despite multiple interventions, the governor refused to restore order.
“Based on Section 305 of the Constitution of the country, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months,” Tinubu announced.
The crisis in Rivers State has been fuelled by a long-standing power struggle between Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, who played a key role in his election but later became his fiercest political opponent.
The rift worsened after 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), leading to a legal battle over their membership and the control of state resources.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Rivers State chapter of the PDP accused the Supreme Court of bias in its ruling on the lawmakers’ defection and the withholding of the state’s statutory allocations. The party’s Acting Chairman, Nname Robinson Ewor, alleged that the apex court granted reliefs on issues not presented before it, further complicating the political crisis.