Veteran journalist and former presidential aide, Laolu Akande, has criticized Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara for what he described as a lack of courage following President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the state.
Akande argued that if President Bola Tinubu had been in Fubara’s position and faced suspension as governor, he would have fought back rather than submit to external pressures.
The former presidential aide lauded the intervention of governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but questioned the response of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who he believes should have challenged the suspension in court.
Akande, speaking on the controversial development, said, “It’s a good move what the governors of the PDP have done. They probably would be able to save the day. But I’m surprised that Governor Fubara himself is sitting down. If somebody did this to Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he was governor of Lagos, do you know what he would be doing? He (Fubara) should be the first to go to court; he is still the governor, he still has a status; he’s not been removed. He couldn’t be removed that way. There is a questionable suspension.”
According to him, Fubara’s failure to act decisively has emboldened the federal government’s actions, setting a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy. Akande emphasized that Tinubu, during his tenure as Lagos State governor, was known for his resilience and legal battles against federal overreach.
“The first thing Governor Fubara ought to do if he knew what he was doing was to go to court. And to tell his people that what has happened in Rivers State is against the law but he couldn’t find the courage.”
Akande further questioned the legality and moral justification of Tinubu’s decision to impose emergency rule, suspend Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly for six months. The presidential directive was anchored on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, citing the escalating political crisis in Rivers State as the justification.
For over two years, Rivers State has been embroiled in a fierce power struggle between Fubara and his estranged political benefactor, Nyesom Wike, the immediate-past governor who now serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under Tinubu’s administration. The friction between the two leaders has fueled political instability in the oil-rich state, culminating in Tinubu’s controversial intervention.
Akande contended that Fubara should have resisted the suspension legally, rather than acquiescing to the directive without a fight. “How can I be a governor and the president who was also elected is asking me to go away? Of course, I will go away so that there is no trouble but I will go to the courts. And I will tell my people, you elected me, the president has asked me to go to court. It is wrong and I will fight it. That is how we can build democracy. It is not about people in Agbada (flowing gown).”
Beyond the immediate crisis in Rivers State, Akande also criticized the handling of the situation by the National Assembly, particularly the Senate. He lamented what he described as the erosion of dignity within the legislative body, saying, “The most important thing for me is the kind of conduct that we are observing from the National Assembly especially the Senate. People expect a certain level of gravitas and a higher expectation of proper conduct especially among Senators. But sadly, that hasn’t been the case. What somebody called the ‘Natasha-isation’ of the Nigerian Senate. As a man, I’m just embarrassed that what ought to have been done in a very simple, decent way has turned into a serious mockery.”
With the crisis in Rivers State deepening, political observers are keen to see whether Fubara will take the legal route, as suggested by Akande, or continue to comply with the federal government’s decision. The unfolding events will likely have significant implications for Nigeria’s democratic process and the balance of power between the federal and state governments.
