ABUJA — Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s handling of the political crisis in Rivers State, describing the suspension and subsequent reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the State House of Assembly as unconstitutional and illegal.
In a statement issued Thursday via his official X account, Atiku dismissed the recent lifting of the suspension as meaningless, arguing that the decision had no legal foundation from the outset.
“Lifting the suspension of Governor Simi Fubara is nothing to cheer about. The suspension of the Rivers State Governor and the State House of Assembly was unconstitutional when it was done six months ago and is still illegal today,” Atiku wrote.
The former Vice President emphasized that President Tinubu lacked the constitutional authority to remove or suspend duly elected state officials, warning that the development signaled a troubling drift toward authoritarianism.
“President Tinubu had no power to suspend a democratically elected governor and state lawmakers. The Rivers shenanigans only signpost the dictatorship of the Tinubu administration,” he added.
Atiku’s comments follow President Tinubu’s announcement on Wednesday declaring an end to the state of emergency in Rivers State. The president had directed Governor Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly to return to office effective Thursday, September 18.
