Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticized the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State, accusing President Bola Tinubu of acting in bad faith and using the crisis for political advantage.
In a statement personally signed by him, Atiku argued that Tinubu has been a partisan player in the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers, rather than a neutral mediator. He alleged that the move was not about restoring order but rather a calculated punishment against the people of the state to serve the interests of the president’s allies in the Federal Government.
Atiku further described the decision as an assault on democracy, stating that the federal government had either deliberately allowed the situation to escalate or failed in its duty to prevent the crisis.
“Beyond the political scheming in Rivers, the brazen security breaches that led to the destruction of national infrastructure in the state rest squarely on the president’s desk,” he said.
The 2023 PDP presidential candidate also accused Tinubu of reversing years of stability in the Niger Delta, arguing that his administration’s handling of the crisis has undone the peace efforts initiated by late President Umaru Yar’Adua.
“If federal infrastructure in Rivers has been compromised, the President bears full responsibility,” Atiku stated, insisting that using the crisis as a pretext to undermine democratic governance must be rejected.
