The All Progressives Congress (APC) has praised President Bola Tinubu’s decision regarding Rivers State and urged him to extend similar measures to Osun State.
Speaking with News Bulletin from Saudi Arabia, the APC’s National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, commended Tinubu’s intervention, describing it as a necessary move to protect democracy and prevent Rivers from descending into chaos.
“The President’s decision is a welcome one. It is aimed at salvaging democracy and ensuring that Rivers does not become a failed state. He has demonstrated statesmanship and impartiality in handling the crisis,” Basiru stated.
He criticized the political actors in Rivers for failing to consider the broader impact of their actions on the state’s stability and economy. “The decision is constitutionally grounded, and given Rivers State’s significance to Nigeria’s economy, we cannot afford for the crisis to escalate and threaten national economic stability. This action signals that the President will not tolerate illegality.”
Responding to legal experts who argue that Tinubu lacks the constitutional power to suspend a sitting governor, Basiru countered:
“Should Nigeria be on the brink of destruction before the President invokes the relevant constitutional provisions? These same legal minds misguided former Governor Fubara into believing he could govern the state with just four members of the House of Assembly. If they disagree with the President’s decision, they should challenge it in court. But for the sake of peace and development, the country must come first.”
He further drew parallels with past political crises, citing the Doctrine of Necessity that enabled Goodluck Jonathan’s rise to power.
“Even if there were no explicit constitutional provisions, should necessity, the rule of law, and the sanctity of life not justify this decision? The President made a sound call—one that any responsible leader focused on security and welfare would make. Would he have allowed Rivers to spiral into anarchy and become another Somalia over legal technicalities?”
Basiru then urged Tinubu to extend similar emergency measures to Osun State, citing unresolved issues affecting local government administration.
“We call on the Federal Government to also declare a State of Emergency in Osun. The government has crippled local government administration despite a Court of Appeal ruling and the Attorney General’s advice,” he appealed.
