ABUJA, Nigeria (CHATNEWSTV) — Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday condemned the federal government’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it an act of “political manipulation and outright bad faith.”
In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, Atiku accused President Bola Tinubu of being a “vested partisan actor” in the ongoing political crisis in the oil-rich state.
“Tinubu’s blatant refusal or calculated negligence in preventing this escalation is nothing short of disgraceful,” Atiku wrote. “The brazen security breaches that led to the destruction of national infrastructure in Rivers land squarely on the President’s desk.”
The federal government’s move comes amid rising tensions between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike. The political rivalry has fueled unrest, with reports of violent clashes and attacks on public facilities.
Atiku warned that the crisis threatens to undo the fragile peace in the Niger Delta, recalling the amnesty program introduced by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua to curb militancy in the region.
“It is an unforgivable failure that under Tinubu’s watch, the Niger Delta has been thrown back into an era of violent unrest and instability,” Atiku said.
He argued that rather than imposing emergency rule, the federal government should take responsibility for securing the region.
“Punishing the people of Rivers State just to serve the political gamesmanship between the governor and Tinubu’s enablers in the federal government is nothing less than an assault on democracy,” Atiku said. “It must be condemned in the strongest terms.”
The presidency has yet to respond to Atiku’s remarks.
