Nigeria is facing a growing political crisis after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, a major oil-producing region. He also suspended the governor, deputy governor, and all state lawmakers for six months.
In a televised address on Tuesday evening, Tinubu said he had received troubling security reports about militants vandalizing oil pipelines in the state. He claimed that Governor Siminalayi Fubara failed to act against these activities, making the situation too serious to ignore.
The crisis follows a major explosion on the Trans-Niger Pipeline, one of the country’s key crude oil pipelines. Such attacks, often carried out by criminal gangs or militants, have disrupted oil production and exports in the past. According to Africa Report, the pipeline carries crude oil worth about $14 million (£11 million) daily at current market prices.
However, beyond the pipeline attack, Rivers State has been struggling with deep political tensions. Governor Fubara is a member of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which has been dealing with internal conflicts. Nationally, the PDP is the main rival to President Tinubu’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Despite the president’s decision, legal experts and opposition figures are questioning whether he has the power to remove an elected governor and lawmakers in this manner.
President Tinubu stated that political leaders in Rivers State have struggled to cooperate due to ongoing conflicts. He accused Governor Fubara’s supporters of making serious threats against their opponents and criticized the governor for not distancing himself from these remarks.
According to Reuters, some lawmakers in the state had even discussed removing the governor and his deputy from office. Tinubu described the situation as a deadlock, saying that governance in Rivers State had come to a halt. He defended his decision, claiming it was necessary to restore stability and order.
Governor Fubara, however, responded calmly to the declaration of a state of emergency.
He said there have been “political disagreements, but good governance has continued”.
“Rivers state is safe, secure and peaceful under our watch,” he said.
With the state of emergency in place, the federal government will temporarily take over the administration of Rivers State and deploy security forces if necessary.
However, many groups believe President Tinubu’s decision is too extreme. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) condemned the move, calling it illegal to remove elected leaders from office.
The opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) also rejected the emergency rule, accusing Tinubu of trying to take full control of the state. They claimed this was an attempt to weaken democracy and turn Nigeria into a one-party system.
“It is the climax of a well-oiled plot to forcefully take over Rivers state,” it said.
Peter Obi, a former presidential candidate for the Labour Party, criticised the move which he described as “reckless” on X.
This is not the first time a state of emergency has been declared in Nigeria. Former presidents resorted to the action in a bid to curb insurgency and instability in different parts of the country.