PDP Governors Slam Tinubu’s Actions as Unstatesmanlike, Rally Behind Fubara in Rivers Crisis

 

In a fiery rebuke of President Bola Tinubu’s recent moves in Rivers State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has labeled his declaration of a state of emergency and suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara as unstatesmanlike, biased, and divisive. The statement, issued on March 19, 2025, underscores a deepening rift between the PDP and the presidency, with the governors pledging unwavering support for Fubara amid escalating political tensions in the oil-rich state.

A Bold Stand Against Federal Overreach

The PDP Governors’ Forum, chaired by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, wasted no time in condemning Tinubu’s nationwide broadcast on March 18, 2025, during which he announced the state of emergency. The president suspended Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial six-month period, appointing retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as the state’s administrator. Tinubu justified the drastic measures by citing the need to restore order amid a prolonged political crisis, but the PDP governors see it as a calculated attack on democratic principles.

In their strongly worded statement, the forum expressed “grave concern and utter misgiving” over what they described as a premeditated assault on Rivers State and the PDP itself. “This unwarranted suspension of democratic rule in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is today the greatest threat to democracy in our dear country, Nigeria,” the governors declared, warning that the move could destabilize the nation’s political and economic fabric.

Accusations of Bias and Complicity

At the heart of the governors’ criticism is Tinubu’s apparent silence on the role of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Fubara’s predecessor, in fueling the Rivers crisis. The PDP leaders accused the president of enabling Wike, suggesting that the former governor has been acting as an unchecked force in the state with Tinubu’s tacit approval. “He who goes to the court of equity must go with clean hands. Mr. President, your silence on the active role played by your Minister of the FCT in the Rivers impasse is golden and enabling,” the statement read. “He has become a law unto himself because he was playing out your script. Now we know. This is totally unstatesmanly, biased, and divisive.”

The feud between Wike and Fubara, once political allies, has been a driving force behind the state’s turmoil. Wike’s influence over a faction of 27 lawmakers who defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has intensified the conflict, paralyzing governance and prompting judicial interventions, including a Supreme Court ruling in February 2025 that criticized Fubara’s administration for obstructing the legislature. Yet, the PDP governors argue that Tinubu’s failure to address Wike’s involvement reveals a partisan agenda, especially given Wike’s prominent position in the president’s cabinet.

Solidarity with Fubara and a Call for Reversal

The governors reaffirmed their solidarity with Fubara and the people of Rivers State, invoking their “touch one, touch all” philosophy to signal a united front against what they perceive as federal overreach. “We stand in solidarity with His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, and the good people of Rivers State at this very difficult and trying moment of the state’s political history,” they stated, emphasizing that the suspension of elected officials undermines the will of the electorate.

Urging Tinubu to reconsider his decision, the forum called for an immediate reversal of the emergency declaration, arguing that it was made in haste and without proper constitutional grounding. “Mr. President is therefore called upon to listen to wise counsel and the voice of reason, as well as accept that he made grievous mistakes and acted in haste, and reverse this atrocious and retrograde decision before it is too late,” they warned, hinting at potential legal challenges to test the constitutionality of the move under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution.

A Broader Threat to Democracy?

The PDP governors framed Tinubu’s actions as part of a larger pattern threatening Nigeria’s democratic stability. They aligned themselves with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which has also criticized the suspension of elected officials as unconstitutional, asserting that a state of emergency does not grant the president authority to remove democratically elected leaders. The forum vowed to pursue judicial recourse, signaling a readiness to escalate the confrontation if their demands are unmet.

Beyond Rivers State, the governors cautioned that Tinubu’s approach risks alienating opposition parties and deepening national divisions. “This unwarranted but premeditated attack on Rivers State and the Peoples Democratic Party and other opposition parties is an ill wind that will blow no one any good,” they asserted, suggesting that the emergency rule could set a dangerous precedent for federal interference in state governance.

Rivers at a Crossroads

For Rivers State, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The political impasse has already disrupted governance, with legislative functions stalled and security concerns—such as pipeline vandalism—cited as justification for federal intervention. The appointment of an administrator answerable to the Federal Executive Council raises questions about local autonomy, especially in a region critical to Nigeria’s oil-dependent economy.

As the PDP governors rally behind Fubara, the crisis tests the resilience of Nigeria’s federal structure and the balance of power between state and national authorities. Whether Tinubu’s administration will heed the call for reversal or double down on its course remains uncertain, but the battle lines are clearly drawn. For now, Rivers State stands as a flashpoint in a broader struggle over democracy, loyalty, and control in Nigeria’s volatile political arena.