Senate minority caucus condemns removal of Fubara, deputy

Abba Moro, the Minority Leader of the Senate and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus, has described the unfolding political crisis in Rivers State as an unfortunate development, expressing personal sadness over the situation.

The senator made this known while speaking to Business Day on the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday evening.

As part of the declaration, Tinubu announced the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the State House of Assembly for six months.

In a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, the President expressed deep concern over the political turmoil in the state, stating that governance had ground to a halt.
“I feel greatly disturbed by the political crisis in Rivers. The state has been at a standstill, and the people have been deprived of good governance,” Tinubu said.

“Fourteen months after Governor Fubara demolished the House of Assembly, it remains unbuilt. Many Nigerians have intervened, just as I did. But their efforts have been to no avail.”

He further justified his decision, saying, “No responsible President will stand by without taking action. To restore good governance and peace in this circumstance, it has become imperative to declare a state of emergency. By this declaration, Governor Fubara is hereby suspended.”

Tinubu also appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Administrator of the state, stating that the move was necessary “in the interest of the good people of Rivers State.”

The declaration comes just hours after another explosion was reported at an oil facility in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, further raising concerns about security in the state.

Responding to the broadcast, Moro said, “What is happening in Rivers is an Unfortunate development, and I quite strongly feel personally sad about it

“Something that could ordinarily have been avoided has happened. I have my reservations about the removal of the governor from office as an elected person.

“I think that the state of emergency should not include his removal from office.”

Moro emphasized that a state of emergency should be an instrument for the federal government “to take extraordinary steps in covering the possible breakdown of law and order, not to remove an elected governor of the state.”

Read Also: Tinubu declares state of emergency in Rivers State: What it means

He added, “I am going to go through the constitution later today. At the appropriate time, I think I should be in a position to say categorically what the real situation is constitutional. At the moment, I can only express a level of disappointment in the whole thing.”

Earlier, Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the PDP, condemned the move, calling it an “assault on democracy.”

In a statement on his verified Facebook page, Atiku said, “The declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State reeks of political manipulation and outright bad faith.

“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 — to prevent this escalation is nothing short of disgraceful.

“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.”

Atiku further accused Tinubu of undoing years of peace in the Niger Delta region, stating, “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.”

He concluded by calling for the reversal of the decision, arguing that punishing the people of Rivers State to settle political scores was unacceptable.

As reactions continue to pour in, political analysts have raised concerns over the legality and implications of the state of emergency, especially the suspension of elected officials. It remains to be seen whether the move will face legal challenges or resistance from political stakeholders in the state.