Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned that the lifting of the suspension on Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly should not be viewed as a triumph.
On March 18, 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu imposed emergency rule in Rivers State due to prolonged political unrest, suspending the governor, deputy governor, and lawmakers for six months.
Tinubu lifted the state of emergency on Wednesday and directed Fubara and lawmakers to return to work on Thursday, September 18. Abubakar criticized the president’s initial move as unconstitutional in an X post on Thursday.
“Lifting the suspension of Governor Simi Fubara is nothing to cheer about,” Abubakar wrote.
“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.”
