Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, which has been facing a prolonged political crisis. The crisis, marked by escalating violence and the bombing of pipeline infrastructure, has caused significant unrest in the region. Atiku condemned the declaration, describing it as an act of political manipulation.
Atiku’s reaction came after President Tinubu announced the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the state House of Assembly on March 18, 2025. The president made the announcement during a nationwide broadcast, expressing deep concern over the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers.
In his address, Tinubu said, “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.” He went on to highlight the unresolved issues that have plagued the state, including the demolition of the state House of Assembly by Governor Fubara 14 months ago, which has not been rebuilt.
Tinubu further stated, “Many Nigerians have intervened, just as I did. But their efforts have been to no avail. No responsible president will stand by without taking action.” He argued that declaring a state of emergency was necessary to restore peace and good governance to the state.
Following the president’s announcement, Atiku took to social media platform X to express his disapproval of the state of emergency declaration. He accused Tinubu of being a “partisan actor” in the crisis, saying the president’s involvement in the situation had exacerbated the turmoil.
Atiku pointed out, “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.”
He further criticized Tinubu for his failure to address the security breaches in the region, which had resulted in the destruction of national infrastructure. “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 added.
The former vice president went on to hold the president responsible for the return of unrest in the Niger Delta region. He argued that the instability in the region was a direct result of Tinubu’s administration, which had failed to prevent the violence.
“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,” Atiku said. He further criticized the president for allegedly undermining the progress made in the region for political gain.
Atiku also placed blame on Tinubu for the bombing of pipeline infrastructure in Rivers, stating that such attacks on national assets were indicative of the growing instability in the region. “If federal infrastructure in Rivers has been compromised, the President bears full responsibility,” he remarked.
