Rivers State: The Fine Line Between Politics and Statesmanship

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has denounced President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s suspension and later reinstatement of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, characterizing the action as unconstitutional and a menace to Nigeria’s democracy.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Thursday, September 18, 2025, the party accused the President of masking “political brinkmanship as statesmanship” and cautioned that the Rivers incident would shape his political legacy.

The ADC criticized Tinubu’s choice to suspend Fubara, his deputy, and members of the State Assembly for a duration of six months, only to subsequently instruct them to return to their duties, comparing the action to treating elected officials as if they were political appointees.

“The President’s decision to assume the authority to suspend and reinstate elected officials in Rivers State is whimsically autocratic and must be acknowledged and denounced as a threat to our democracy,” the statement asserted.

The party contended that only a competent court of law possesses the authority to remove or restrain elected officials, rather than a presidential decree.

“The President is not a Headmaster, and Governors are not his students to be sent home and recalled at his whim,” Abdullahi remarked, recalling that Tinubu once portrayed himself as a federalist who championed state autonomy during his tenure as governor of Lagos State.

The ADC further claimed that the suspension was motivated by political interests in Abuja rather than serving the people of Rivers State. It stated that the President’s intervention has resulted in a “pacified government” in the state, whose allegiance now lies with the presidency instead of its citizens.

The statement indicated that Tinubu’s return from vacation was not aimed at addressing the escalating insecurity but rather to “personally oversee” Fubara’s reinstatement, positioning himself as the singular authority capable of removing or restoring governors.

“To clarify, Section 305 of our Constitution — which outlines emergency powers — was never meant to be utilized as a means for settling political disputes,” the party emphasized, noting that this provision is intended solely for genuine emergencies such as natural disasters or insurrections.

The ADC urged the judiciary, especially the Supreme Court, to step in and elucidate the constitutional boundaries of emergency powers to avert further misuse.

“In times like these, the judiciary cannot afford to remain passively indifferent, or history will depict them as accomplices in the undermining of our democracy,” the party cautioned.