Prince (Dr.) Adedipe Ewenla, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has criticized President Bola Tinubu over his declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State. He described the move as a total disregard for Rivers people, an attack on PDP, and a serious embarrassment to Nigeria as a democratic nation.
It would be recalled that Rivers has been embroiled in a festering political crisis, involving a power struggle between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The crisis escalated due to political realignments within the state legislature and disagreements over governance, leading to violent clashes, destruction of property, and threats of impeachment.
The political turmoil drew national attention, with concerns over law and order in the oil-rich state. While President Tinubu initially called for political actors to respect court rulings and embrace dialogue, he has now taken the drastic step of imposing a state of emergency, citing worsening security concerns.
Amb. Ewenla, in his reaction, condemned the decision, arguing that the imposition of emergency rule is undemocratic and a direct attack on PDP, the ruling party in Rivers. He asserted that the move was an abuse of federal power aimed at suppressing opposition-led states.
According to Ewenla, the crisis should have been resolved through legal and constitutional means rather than the suspension of democratic governance. He warned that using emergency rule as a political weapon could destabilize Nigeria’s democracy and set a dangerous precedent for future administrations.
Ewenla called on President Tinubu to immediately reverse the declaration and allow Rivers handle its internal matters through democratic processes. He urged PDP leaders, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders to resist any external interference that undermines the state’s autonomy.
The PDP chieftain also expressed concerns that the emergency declaration would damage Nigeria’s international reputation and discourage investors, given that Rivers is one of the country’s key economic hubs.
