Former Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, has strongly criticised President Bola Tinubu’s decision to impose a six-month emergency rule in Rivers State earlier this year, declaring the action “wrong” and a dangerous precedent for democracy.
The lawmaker, however, commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for showing exceptional maturity throughout the political crisis.
Speaking to journalists in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, the Borno South senator, known for his outspoken views, did not mince words when assessing the federal government’s intervention in March, which saw the governor, his deputy, and state lawmakers suspended.
โSupposing somebody wakes up one day to say he is declaring a state of emergency in Nigeria? Itโs just mad, you know! Like America now, the UN now, can they declare a state of emergency in Nigeria and say the Nigerian government should be suspended? It is wrong. What is wrong is wrong,โ Ndume stated.
He argued that the emergency rule, which expired on September 17, fundamentally undermined democratic principles by sidelining an entire arm of government. โIf you remove the legislature from democracy, what do you have? You donโt have democracy, and at the same time, you canโt have democracy without the executive or the judiciary. They must exist together to make democracy work,โ the senator explained.
Despite his firm criticism of the president’s approach, Senator Ndume had high praise for Governor Fubaraโs conduct following the restoration of his powers. He said the governorโs restrained response set a positive example for leadership.
โIt takes exceptional maturity as a leader by saying let the past be past and letโs move forward, and that is what a leader is supposed to do. And I hope that everybody, including you (journalists) and every Nigerian, will now concentrate on making sure that democracy is sustained,โ Ndume said.
The senator also used the opportunity to urge all leaders in Rivers State to avoid actions that could plunge the oil-rich state back into conflict. He pointed out the vast economic potential of the state, noting that its resources should be channelled into development rather than wasted on political battles.
โWhat Rivers alone has, about 15 to 20 countries in Africa put together donโt have. Yet, most of you are suffering, or all of us are suffering. Running government on discretion, personalising or even privatising it, is the main thing setting Nigeria back,โ he added.
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