By Adesina Soyooye
“If the President declared a state of emergency in Rivers over insecurity and suspended Fubara, should a state of emergency be declared in Nigeria and the President syspended because there is insecurity everywhere in Nigeria, and the President is in charge. It is not possible. So, why punish an innocent man?”
Former Presidential Aspirant under the All Progressives Congress, APC, Rotimi Amaechi, has slammed President Bola Tinubu over the State of Emergency declared in Rivers State.
Amaechi, a former two-term Governor of Rivers State and the immediate past Minister for Transportation under the President Muhammadu Buhari said that by declaring a State of Emergency in the State, the President has done two things – embarked on a power-grab, and intimidated Governors to line up behind him against 2027 or get same treatment.
Amaechi, known for his blunt manner of speaking, in an interview with DW Africa on Saturday, said the plans were between the President and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike. Wike was Amaechi’s Chief of Staff, and successor in office.
He condemned, strongly, the President’s action in Rivers State, and said that Fubara was punished for an offence he didn’t commit.
It is politically motivated, he submitted.
Amaechi: “It is between the President and the FCT Minister.
“The President wants a power grab. They want to frighten Governors who may not support them in 2027.
So, there is a rumour everywhere that if you are not careful, the President will remove you.
“If the president said it is because of insecurity, because they blew the pipeline, what about part of the country where there is insecurity?
“Is the president saying they should impose emergency rule on him too? They can’t, because he is a democratically elected President. Nobody can impose an emergency rule on him because there is serious insecurity in the North-east, North-west — even in South-east and South-West.
“Rivers Governor has no security responsibility. It rests squarely on the President. So why punish a man who did not commit an offence?”
Amaechi called on the Rivers State people resist President Tinubu’s action and engage in democratic protests to express their opposition to the declaration of Emergency Rule and the suspension of the Governor and all democratically elected people from office.
Mr President declared a State of Emergency in the State for an initial period of six months. He appointed a Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, and suspended the Governor, his Deputy and the Members of the State House of Assembly from office.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
