Dare Babalola
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has insisted that the suspension of the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy and members of the state House of Assembly was illegal.
In a post he made on X on Thursday, Atiku stated that lifting the suspension is not worth celebrating.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said Tinubu had no power to suspend a democratically elected governor and state lawmakers.
He wrote, “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.
“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.”
Recall that President Bola Tinubu had on March 18 declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Also, he suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu; and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution, while some others hailed Tinubu.
However, on Wednesday, Tinubu ended the emergency rule in the state and asked Fubara, his deputy and the lawmakers to resume work on Thursday, September 18.
