Atiku: Tinubu Lacks Power to Suspend Rivers Governor, Assembly
Atiku: Tinubu Lacks Power to Suspend Rivers Governor, Assembly
ABUJA — Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has criticized President Bola Tinubu for the suspension and subsequent reinstatement of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the State House of Assembly, describing the move as unconstitutional and illegal.
In a statement released Thursday via his official X handle, Atiku argued that the lifting of the suspension was not an achievement to be celebrated, since the action itself lacked any legal basis.
“Lifting the suspension of Governor Simi Fubara is nothing to cheer about. The suspension of the Rivers State Governor and the State House of Assembly was unconstitutional when it was done six months ago and is still illegal today,” he wrote.
Atiku further maintained that President Tinubu had no constitutional powers to suspend a democratically elected governor and lawmakers, warning that the development was a dangerous pointer to authoritarianism.
“President Tinubu had no power to suspend a democratically elected governor and state lawmakers. The Rivers shenanigans only signpost the dictatorship of the Tinubu administration,” he added.
The remarks came less than 24 hours after Tinubu announced the lifting of the state of emergency in Rivers and ordered Governor Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the House of Assembly to resume office on Thursday, September 18.
