Lifting Fubara’s suspension nothing to cheer about, says Atiku

Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, says lifting the suspension on Siminalayi Fubara and members of the Rivers state house of assembly should not be celebrated. 

On March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared emergency rule in the oil-rich state in the wake of a prolonged political crisis.

Fubara, governor of Rivers; Ngozi Nma Odu, his deputy; and the legislators, were suspended for an initial period of six months by the president.

On Wednesday, Tinubu ended the emergency rule in the state and asked Fubara and the lawmakers to resume work on Thursday, September 18.

In a post on X on Thursday, Abubakar described the president’s initial action as unconstitutional.

“Lifting the suspension of Governor Simi Fubara is nothing to cheer about,” Abubakar wrote.

“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.

“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.”