Veteran journalist and publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu, has made a passionate appeal to President Bola Tinubu, warning him against actions that could jeopardize Nigeria’s democracy.
Momodu expressed his deep disappointment with Tinubu’s recent moves, particularly the suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the state house of assembly, during an interview on Channels Television on Monday.
Momodu finds the current developments ‘very embarrassing’, stating that he, along with other pro-democracy activists who fought against military rule, are dismayed.
Additionally, he accuses Tinubu of attempting to coerce governors and opposition leaders into supporting his re-election bid in 2027.
“I think it is very unfortunate. I know President Tinubu very well. Though I’ve not been in the same party with him and all that, we were together in exile, and he fought gallantly for this democracy,” he said
“A lot of us, his co-comrades at that time, are actually very embarrassed that we have a pro-democracy leader in government, and yet, what we are witnessing is worse than dictatorship.
“I have said it openly so many times in many open letters: you can fail in the economy, no problem; people will forgive you and say you’re not a professor of economics. You can fail in other areas, but don’t fail in democracy.
“You must deepen our democracy, which President Goodluck Jonathan succeeded in doing, which Baba Obasanjo succeeded in doing, despite allegations and accusations of a third term attempt, still managed to hand over power to President Yar’Adua.
“It is less than two years into this government, and we are witnessing crisis upon crisis, just because some people want a second term.
I’m pleading with President Bola Tinubu, ‘please don’t kill democracy in Nigeria’. Everybody who loves him will tell him this. I’ve not asked him for anything, but we love him for his contributions to democracy in the past, which is now going down the drain.
“What I see now is an attempt to force all governors in Nigeria to follow him by fire and force. It is wrong.”
I’m pleading with President Bola Tinubu, ‘please don’t kill democracy in Nigeria’. Everybody who loves him will tell him this. I’ve not asked him for anything, but we love him for his contributions to democracy in the past, which is now going down the drain.
“What I see now is an attempt to force all governors in Nigeria to follow him by fire and force. It is wrong.”
Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers on March 18, following a political crisis, and suspended Fubara, the governor, Ngozi Odu, the deputy governor, and all members of the Rivers assembly for six months. Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired naval chief, was appointed as the state’s sole administrator.
