Headline

Pendulum: Why Nations Fail, The Sad Story of Nigeria

Published

7 years ago

August 11, 2018

Eric

By Dele Momodu

Fellow Nigerians, our dear beloved country is at some dangerous crossroads again. Those who know how to pray should offer supplications to God urgently because, our stubbornly arrogant, and sometimes impetuous, politicians are about to set Nigeria ablaze, igniting a possible conflagration the type of which we have not seen in a long time. For anyone following my column, I have pleaded endlessly for decorum, tolerance, patience and simple common sense at all levels and tiers of government. Somehow, my strident appeals have largely gone unheeded. It is obvious that some powerful forces are hell-bent on having their way by fire, by force, whether they be right or wrong! It is sad that many of our leaders on both sides of the fence have not learnt any useful lessons from even our contemporary history.

Let me break it down to brass tacks. The current imbroglio is as a result of what started in 2015, when Senator Bukola Saraki seemingly outsmarted members of his party, APC, and combined with members of the opposition party, PDP, to fulfil his burning ambition to become the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Depending on which side of the political divide you belong, members of APC felt totally cheated and accused Saraki of the worst treachery possible, moreso, when, a member of the opposition, Ike Ekweremadu of PDP, emerged Deputy Senate President. In case you have forgotten how it all happened, please permit me to refresh your memory.

On D-Day, members of APC had gathered somewhere else, the International Conference Centre in Abuja, it was said, to deliberate, and strategise, on candidates to back for various offices of the National Assembly, especially that of the President of the Senate and Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives. Obviously clever about how politics works and the various deals that they had sealed with other members of the respective Houses of the National Assembly, Saraki and Yakubu Dogara did not join their party caucus at the meeting because of the realisation that they were not being considered at all, despite the great work they and others did in support of Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retired) becoming President. In the end, they both prevailed comfortably in attaining the positions that they sought in the National legislature to the chagrin of their party caucus and party leaders. There is still argument and debate as to the role of different APC party leaders, including the President (who neither said yes nor no explicitly when Saraki mentioned his interest in Senate Presidency to him), in the emergence of the two men as Senate President and Speaker respectively. What is clear is that there was omission and commission, complicity and aloofness, even maybe indifference in some quarters about the Principal officers of the Senate once the Holy Grail of the Presidency had been secured. I will not belabour you with what I saw as an active participant and eye-witness except to say that all parties played for high stakes and in the end some people won and some lost. However, I must re-emphasise what I said, on this page and in a Vanguard interview at the time, that the APC apparatchik should count their losses, move on and allow peace to reign. In a game, only one team can win, fair or foul.

The reluctance, nay, stoic resistance, of APC to let this matter pass, as I recommended, is now likely to be the albatross of the party. If care is not taken, and APC continues to insist, as they are doing, and have done, for over three wasteful years, that they must enforce regime change at the National Assembly, barely months to critical State and national general elections, the party may be heading towards Golgotha or Waterloo. I will like to make this special appeal to my big Brother and former Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, please, stop the grandstanding, embrace peace and the rule of Law and focus on the long game rather than the short play. You cannot achieve your desire by compulsion or coercion in a democratic political terrain. There is always give and take in all situations. The people you are dealing with are not mere school kids while you are the headmaster.

In the case of Saraki, it is obvious that you can only constitutionally remove him very easily if you have 73 Senators on your side. Nothing short of that number will do. Anything else is a pipe-dream and I do not see you a dreamer, let alone an unrepentant fantasist or somnambulist! Indeed, if you can land a big fish like Akpabio into your net, it shouldn’t be too difficult to ensnare more Senators. It is easier to use EFCC than to use DSS or the police. EFCC seemingly remains the only striker in this big league. If that fails, I will recommend a title of a James Hadley Chase novel, ‘The Whiff of Money’. Some millions of crispy million dollars can perform the magic for you and your party. What have we not seen before in Nigeria? However, you should also note that it is impossible, or unlikely, for politicians to visit the washroom and not leave some tell-tale signs behind.

Only pursue this agenda, I have described above, if that is the way you now envision the Nigeria of your dreams. But remember the integrity and incorruptibility of the President and Vice-President, Muhammadu Buhari and Yemi Osinbajo, that you have been selected to sell when you decide your options. I will suggest that to attempt another round of trying to impeach anyone with less than the number of Constitutionally recommended votes is to bring the roof crashing down.

It should be obvious by now that Nigerian Democracy has advanced beyond where it was years ago when Governors could be impeached inside hotel rooms by fewer than the constitutionally required number. Those days are gone and whosoever wants to return us to those inglorious days should have a rethink. We have our noble judiciary to thank for this because they have stood firm and resolute in the face of intimidation, coercion and even blackmail. Our judiciary is the first to recognise that a few bad eggs lurk within their midst, but they have always found ways of purging themselves and forging ahead. Their defense of our national interest, in the light of some of the determined onslaught they face, is to be commended. This is particularly because their hallowed status sometimes makes it impossible for them to embark on their own defence in the same manner as their traducers have sought to cast them with infamy and shame.

I have no doubt that the present members of the National Assembly are unyielding and ready to do whatever it takes to defend themselves against external and internal aggressors. To date there has been a distinct united front presented by the legislators, save for a few errant members who appear to be pursuing selfish or extraneous interests, which is to be applauded.

No one has said that Saraki, who is the prime target of APC, cannot be removed. All that is being said is that it should be done without all this drama and fuss, and it should be done in line with the Constitution. This charade that we are witnessing has ceased to become tedious but is now sorely irritating because there are a lot more fundamental issues to contend with in the polity than the issue of who is Senate President or Speaker or which party they belong. Even Saraki himself has said publicly that he would bow out gracefully the day two-thirds of his colleagues tell him to go home. That should be a sweet challenge and revenge to APC that wields the power of life and death today. As I have pointed out the party can choose the corrupt way, abusing the several executive offices at its command to achieve this end or they may choose the part of honour and try moral suasion and gentle persuasion.

After the disgraceful invasion of the National Assembly by the DSS last Tuesday, I became assured that APC had reached a dead-end and there was no more card to play. The spurious position of government apologists that Saraki had the head of the Department of State Security, Lawal Daura, in his pocket is too strange, beggars belief and is unbelievably difficult to comprehend or accept. In fact, that line of thought stands logic on its head. The contention that only PDP members were present at the National Assembly and that no APC member was around is not exactly correct. At least, I saw one, my dear friend, Hon. Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, who was booed by those sympathetic to Saraki and Dogara.

The truth is many journalists were already informed the night before that an attempt would be made to impeach some key members of the National Assembly. It was said that APC members would rush in early in the morning and finish the job pronto. But as always, Saraki, the “Illuminati”, as some guy described him on social media, was ahead of the game. He amassed his team-mates ready to resist and repel any such attempt. If journalists were aware, it is only natural that the legislators directly affected would also be aware. There was nothing sinister in their being present in great numbers. Indeed, this is what makes it plain that APC members were also privy to this invasion and that some of their leaders were probably involved in orchestrating it because they would also have heard about it one way or the other. If they thought it was an attempt by some Senators to impeach the President as is being touted or create some drama as others allege, surely they would have turned up to give a lie to all this scheming and prevent it from being a success. As to why APC members were not around, the answer is easy. APC members were meeting at a different location and probably working on getting sufficient numbers to impeach those they wanted to drive out of the National Assembly leadership.

I watched on television as Senator Ben Murray-Bruce was visibly angry that they were not allowed to enter their offices and was rhapsodising and threatening the wrath of international super powers on those anti-democratic forces plotting to endanger democracy in Nigeria. I also watched the suicidal drama of Hon. Boma Goodhead, of the Federal House of Representatives as she barked orders at a fully-hooded, gun-toting secret agent, asking that she be allowed to go to her office or be shot. She is a member of PDP. Why would she take such a kamikaze risk if the security guys were around to facilitate their entry? The DSS scandal backfired big time and even those opposed to Saraki felt scandalised by the development. “Why resort to self-help?” everyone wondered. There is another serious and potentially more damaging angle to the suggestion Saraki pocketed the DSS and arranged for this invidious debacle. How did our intelligence community and security services not cotton onto what was happening, and prevent it, so that the country would not be a laughing-stock? The troop movement which the invasion entailed could well have heralded a coup, where were the rest of our security services? This leaves a lot to ponder upon. One wonders how many were complicit and whether Daura has not simply become the proverbial fall-guy and scapegoat? The Daura that I interacted with at the Institute of Security Studies, Bwalri, Abuja, last year did not look like someone who would sell his supposed godfather, President Buhari, out.

What seems plain to me is that there is a rogue element (call it the cabal, if you wish) within the present government, which does not feel that it is beholden to any constituted authority or that it needs to consult much less seek the approval of Presidency before it embarks on dastardly raids and incursions like this. Having seemingly succeeded with the invasion of Judges homes, this group felt emboldened enough to go as far as openly breaching the National Assembly and everything it stands for in this democratic dispensation.

I don’t think Nigerians would worry about who the National Assembly removes or decides to replace but it must be done according to the rule of Law. If the masses don’t know better, I can understand. However, the insults heaped on Saraki, the number three citizen of Nigeria, yesterday, by the national Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomole, was totally uncalled for and unbecoming. It was too personal and demeaning. It can only harden the Saraki camp to fight all the way. Who knows tomorrow? Power is very transient. All these guys were friends, once upon a time.

This battle is not for the emancipation or betterment of Nigeria or the greater well-being and improvement of Nigerians, but about who controls the biggest wealth of Nigeria, and the re-election of a President they want to use as staircase and stepping stone to fame and fortune. For both parties, it appears that governance is no longer a priority. Everyone is fighting for control of power and resources. It is such a monumental tragedy that we, the general public, seem so helpless about the recklessness of our political leaders. I’m currently reading a book titled WHY NATIONS FAIL, THE ORIGINS OF POWER, PROSPERITY AND POVERTY by Daron Acemoglu & James A. Robinson and I can see some symptoms afflicting Nigeria very clearly.

Something tells me, we are playing with fire…

Headline

Tinubu’s Fatal Blow on Rivers State

Published

2 days ago

March 23, 2025

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

When in the 19th century, celebrated writer Lord Acton, made the oft-quoted statement that “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” he had no reference to the Nigerian government of today, which has suddenly become a law unto itself, maneuvering and arrogating judicial precedents and justice system to suit its whimps and caprices.

Many has called it power intoxication while others declare it as judicial malady, but the fact remains that Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu, had wielded a big stick, albeit unconstitutionally according to many high profile respondents, to deal a fatal blow on the elected representatives of the Rivers State government, and its legislative body.

Mr. President had on March 18, 2025, during a nationwide broadcast, and contrary to expectations, declared a state of emergency on the oil-rich state, going ahead to suspend the governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and the 31 elected members of the legislature. In the broadcast, the president stated that the emergency rule will last for an initial six months followed by a review which will determine either an extension of the rule or its termination. He also appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as the state’s Sole Administrator.

The president’s statement, which has been declared a fatal blow on democracy, and both unconstitutional and undemocratic, by a section of Nigerians, but a peace stroke by yet another section, has elicited reactions from the length and breadth of the nation majority of which borders on condemnations, rather than approval.

The sledgehammer reaction was a consequence of an 18 months fracas between between the Governor, Fubara, and his estranged godfather, Nyesom Wike, the immediate past governor of the state, and currently Tinubu’s minister, in charge of the Federal Capital Territory. Both has been locked in battle for the soul of the state treasury, as alleged by observers, and the party structure. The battle has brought both parties to their wits’ end where interventions from well meaning Nigerians, including Tinubu himself failed to assuage the grievances of each contending party. But Tinubu’s March 18th statement put a stop to all contentions, albeit at the moment

The statement reads in full:

Fellow Nigerians, I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis.

With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have all fought and worked for over the years, can thrive in a way that will redound to the benefit of the good people of the state. The state has been at a standstill since the crisis started, with the good people of the state not being able to have access to the dividends of democracy.

Also, it is public knowledge that the Governor of Rivers State for unjustifiable reasons, demolished the House of Assembly of the state as far back as 13th December 2023 and has, up until now, fourteen (14) months after, not rebuilt same. I have made personal interventions between the contending parties for a peaceful resolution of the crisis, but my efforts have been largely ignored by the parties to the crisis. I am also aware that many well-meaning Nigerians, Leaders of thought and Patriotic groups have also intervened at various times with the best of intentions to resolve the matter, but all their efforts were also to no avail. Still, I thank them.

On February 28, 2025, the supreme court, in a judgment in respect of about eight consolidated appeals concerning the political crisis in Rivers State, based on several grave unconstitutional acts and disregard of rule of law that have been committed by the Governor of Rivers State as shown by the evidence before it pronounced in very clear terms:

“a government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state under the 1999 Constitution as amended. In this case the head of the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot. As it is there is no government in Rivers State.”

The above pronouncement came after a catalogue of judicial findings of constitutional breaches against the Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Going Forward in their judgment, and having found and held that 27 members of the House who had allegedly defected

“are still valid members of Rivers State House of Assembly and cannot be prevented from participating in the proceedings of that House by the 8th Respondent (that is, the Governor) in cohorts with four members”

The Supreme Court then made some orders to restore the state to immediate constitutional democracy. These orders include the immediate passing of an Appropriation Bill by the Rivers State House of Assembly which up till now has not been facilitated.

Some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them.

Apart from that both the House and the governor have not been able to work together.

Both of them do not realise that they are in office to work together for the peace and good governance of the state.

The latest security reports made available to me show that between yesterday and today there have been disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militant without the governor taking any action to curtail them. I have, of course given stern order to the security agencies to ensure safety of lives of the good people of Rivers State and the oil pipelines.

With all these and many more, no good and responsible President will standby and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the Constitution to address the situation in the state, which no doubt requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order and security.

In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, 18th March, 2025 and I so do.

By this declaration, 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.

In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.

The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state.

This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole.

Long live a united, peaceful, secure and democratic Rivers State in particular and the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a whole.

But the reactions that followed the speech have fallen with the ranks of disdain and condemnation with the president’s loyalists stepping out to defend the ‘brazen’ declaration.

In his defence of Tinubu’s emergency rule, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, on his advice the emergency law came into effect said unequivocally that everything the president said in the statement is the fact, adding that the declaration saved Fubara, who he completely blamed for the crises in the state, from imminent impeachment. He exonerated the FCT Minister of any wrongdoing while alleging that Fubara teleguided militants, who he claimed blew up oil pipeline in the wake of an impeachment notice by the pro-Nyesom Wike House of Assembly. These men, 27 in number, led by Hon Martins Amaewhule, literally took instructions from the former governor.

BACKGROUND OF THE CRISES

The Vanguard reports that for fear of trading off his structure since all his opponents whom he drove to Abuja as governor, had returned, and were frolicking with Governor Fubara, Wike insisted on having all the commissioners and other key appointees nominated by him. He nominated 14 of the commissioners while mandating Fubara to nominate only one.

A source told The Vanguard that trouble heightened when Fubara forwarded two nominees to the House of Assembly with Rt. Hon Amaewhule as Speaker for screening. Wike was immediately informed and a war of words started.

The Commissioners, according to the source never “respected the governor”, to the extent the governor could not make approval exceeding N30million without “authorization from Abuja”.

Vanguard wrote, “Unbearably frustrated, Fubara told those who could listen to him that rather than tolerate such despicability, he would resign as governor. Several nocturnal meetings were held to save the embarrassing situation both in Nigeria and outside the country. It only went from bad to worse.

“The cloud of war became thickened when on October 29, 2023, the Dome edifice of the House of Assembly on Moscow road was riddled with dynamite. And the next day, October 30th the complex was mercilessly demolished on the allegation that it had some “structural defects”.

The governor, steadily gathering support across the state and the country, became more emboldened so that when he got wind of a possible impeachment process, he stormed the Assembly very early in the morning in pretense of supervising bulldozers. This stalled the activities of the Wike-lawmakers, and gained more grounds for Fubara. Wike was losing on a fast lane. And so to further frustrate Fubara’s government, he instigated his loyal commissioners to resign, and they did in droves, while Wike sought presidential/federal assistance, prompting Tinubu to broker a peace deal. The deal though signed by both gladiators, was later discovered to be lopsided, and counterproductive to Fubara, and favored Wike. It wasn’t long before the agreement was jettisoned, and the gladiators returned to the trenches, but it dawned on Fubara that he was surrounded by disloyal staff even as his cabinet of commissioners was depleted. So he withdrew Dr. Edison Ehie who by then had become the Speaker of the House of Assembly and made him his Chief of staff, thereby sealing the gap through which government sensitive information was leaked to Wike. Ehie was replaced as a speaker in the House by Rt. Hon Victor Oko-Jumbo with only three men to form a new House, as the 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike officially defected to the APC. The lawmakers in December, 2023, factional chairman of the APC, Chief Tony Okocha, Abdulkarim Kana the Legal adviser, and other national leaders of the APC officially received them at the Port Harcourt Polo Club. These situations were since denied by all those involved, and sadly supported by the Supreme Court.

At this time, it became the House of Assembly, string-pulled by Wike, against Fubara. While the 27 lawmakers continued to make laws against Fubara and his administration, Fubara only recognised and functioned with the 4-man legislature of Oko-Jumbo. This was until the Supreme Court presented its surprising verdict.

“That Supreme Court judgment look like what Wike and his cohorts wrote,” a Rivers stakeholder said.

But that was the beginning of additional crisis as the House gave the governor 48 hours to represent the 2025 budget. But the governor appeared later after the 48-hour ultimatum, but was locked out of the premises by the lawmakers. Then the forth and back continued, resulting in the House issuing a notice of impeachment after accusing the governor of gross misconduct.

Then Tinubu struck – suspended the elected gladiators in a state of emergency broadcast, but sparing Wike, who was exonerated.

NASS ENDORSES TINUBU’S EMERGENCY RULE DECLARATION

But contrary to expectations, the Senator Godswill Akpabio and Hon Tajudeen Abass-led National Assembly hurriedly endorsed the declaration via a voice vote. This, according to stakeholders, is contrary to constitutional provisions, where two-third majority votes are required to approve the emergency rule.

“These people just took Nigerians for a ride. Why voice vote? Is that the constitutional provision?” A concerned citizen queried.

Nigerians have insinuated that that Senators were induced with $15,000 while members of the House Representatives received $5000 to lend support to the unpopular declaration. The National Assembly has since denied the allegations.

But the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) in its reaction, among many reactions, said in part, “Instead of safeguarding democracy and the rule of law, the National Assembly has chosen to passively endorse an unconstitutional overreach of executive power, thereby weakening the checks and balances that are essential to our democratic system. The decision to do this via voice vote, when section 305 (6)(b) of the Constitution clearly requires that the proclamation of a State of Emergency by the President must be supported by two-thirds majority of all the members of each House of the National Assembly, is a travesty and flies in the face of constitutionality, legality and good reasoning.”

WELL MEANING NIGERIANS KICK

Following the emergency rule declaration, Nigerians from all walks of life have risen in unison to condemn the act, describing it as a brazen show of power.

Among the early individuals to called to question Tinubu’s emergency rule declaration were a former Vice President and presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, former Governor of Anambra State, and former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, former President Goodluck Jonathan, Prof Wole Soyinka, Dele Farotimi, Chief Dele Momodu among others. They described the effort as political manipulation, where the president stylishly seeks the corner the resources of Rivers State for personal aggrandizement, and in view of the 2027 general election.

Also, a coalition of civil society organisations in Nigeria condemned the declaration of emergency, describing it as a threat to democracy and an unjustifiable overreach of executive power.

Speaking at a press briefing in Port Harcourt, Christian Onyegbule, representative of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), read the coalition’s statement, rejecting the emergency rule and demanding its immediate reversal.

As at today, Tinubu’s declaration has the force of law as the National Assembly has given approval, and have it in Gazette, though many organisations including SERAP has gone to court to seek a reversal and maybe a punishment for the president for overreaching the Constitution.

“The Supreme Court cannot do less than they did at the Election Petitions trial or at the Rivers State judgment. The truth is Tinubu’s blow has come to stay, and may be unleashed on more states in the near future. Osun State, where his nephew, Gboyega Oyetola, is having a running battle with Governor Ademola Adeleke, may be the next in the line of target.

Headline

Tambuwal, Abaribe Joined Me to Oppose Tinubu’s Emergency Declaration – Dickson

Published

4 days ago

March 21, 2025

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Seriake Dickson, has named Senators Aminu Tambuwal and Enyinnaya Abaribe among a few others, who stood with him to oppose the unconstitutionality of the suspension of the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and the members of the House of Assembly.

The senator, in a statement, also revealed the reasons he walked out of the red chamber on Thursday following a heated argument regarding the approval of the State of Emergency in Rivers State.

In the statement, Dickson, who already told as many that cares to listen before the sitting that he will never support the emergency rule on the floor of the senate, met a brick wall in the visibly angry senate president, Godswill Akpabio, who he claimed tried to deny him his freedom to express himself, resulting in the heated argument that ensued.

The senator noted that when it was obvious that the red chamber was bent on validating the President’s emergency rule, he staged a walkout from the senate, saying he wouldn’t want to be present when the report of what he opposed is read.

Dickson’s detailed analysis of what transpired is presented below:

SENATOR SERIAKE DICKSON GIVES DETAILED UPDATE ON WHAT TRANSPIRED TODAY

Today at the sitting of the Senate, the issue of the President’s proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State came up for discussion and as I have stated repeatedly, I raised my objections in the closed session on how the declaration fell short of constitutional prescription, based on my view as a Democrat, sworn to uphold the Nigerian constitution.

The Senate did not undertake the debate in an open session however, it was quite robust. I want to thank Sen. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal for his strong support of the unconstitutionality of the declaration, especially the aspect that deals with the suspension of the elected officials of the Rivers State government.

At the end of the day, majority of the senators supported the proclamation as no room was given for an open debate at plenary. I left the plenary before the Senate President was directed to report the outcome because I didn’t want to be present while what I opposed is being reported. I believe Senator Tambuwal, Senator Abaribe and others equally left too.

I want to make it clear that as I stated repeatedly, I spoke and voted against the proclamation in our closed session, supported by Senator Aminu Tambuwal and a few other senators who were not recognized to speak.

And so I want to thank all the senators who shared the view that I vigorously canvassed.

I am however aware of the efforts made to modify the declaration as a result of the concerns and views we have expressed and canvassed the past few days. Though I acknowledge the effort being made by the leadership and President to moderate the terms of the declaration and to create a mechanism for oversight, theoretically this does not counter the primary issue of constitutionality.

The beauty of democracy is such that the minority will have their say while the majority their way. I would have wished for a more robust and open debate so that all views and opinions can be openly canvassed as I requested even at the closed session specifically and thereafter, the majority can have their way but as it is, both chambers have decided and the ball is now on the court of the other arms of government, especially the judiciary, in the event of any challenge.

My attention has also been drawn to a viral video showing parts of the unfortunate exchanges between the Senate President and I before we desolved to the closed session.

As I said on the floor, the Senate President was very unfair to me by trying to censor my freedom of expression and by deliberately misrepresenting the import of what I said in the broadcast yesterday which was the same thing I said on the floor today. It is my opposition in principle to the declaration of a state of emergency, as well as the suspension of elected officials.

I thank all those who have called to commend my composure under unnecessary and unexpected attempt at intimidation. Everyone, including the Senate President, knows I have long gone beyond that stage in my life.

The Senate as I said is a meeting of equals and everyone should be respected just as we accord respect to the Chair. No senator needs the permission of the senate president to express an opinion in an interview on a topical matter of national interest that is in the public domain.

I intend to meet the Senate President to formally express my displeasure, to prevent a reoccurrence.

I thank my constituents, Nigerians and all people of goodwill who have called to express solidarity and urge them not to be dismayed at the direction our democracy appears to have taken.

For someone like me who has been in trenches over the years, all these challenges are actually a call to duty and I therefore implore all people of goodwill to come together and ensure that participatory democracy is promoted in our country.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Rivers State.”

President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, declared a state of emergency in Rivers, sacking all elected officers, and appointing a Sole Administrator, in the person retired former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, for an initial period of six months.

Headline

For Condemning Tinubu’s Emergency Rule in Rivers, Presidency Dismisses Atiku, Peter Obi, Amaechi, Others As Disgruntled Politicians

Published

5 days ago

March 21, 2025

Eric

The Presidency, on Thursday, described former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, the former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and the former governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi as disgruntled politicians that don’t have the interest of the masses at heart.

Reacting to the recent regrouping of some politicians including the former governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, who reportedly formed a coalition against President Bola Tinubu in 2027, the Presidency described them as “a frustrated lot”.”

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said President Tinubu is focused on governance to build a prosperous country.

According to him: “He (Tinubu) is on the way to achieving this. Two months to his midterm, he has many solid achievements to showcase. Intractable problems are being tackled headlong.

“He cannot be distracted by the so-called coalition of politicians. They are not politicians after the public Good. It’s all about their self-interest.

“They are disgruntled. They are a frustrated lot. The leaders are sore losers. The coalition is an amalgam of Tinubu haters. Their agenda is to stop Tinubu.”