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Atiku Condemns State Of Emergency In Rivers, Says Tinubu Has Pushed Nigeria Back Into An Era Of Unrest
The crisis in Rivers State has been simmering for months, with deep political divisions fueling unrest and insecurity.
Abuja, Nigeria – Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing it as an act of political manipulation and bad faith.
The crisis in Rivers State has been simmering for months, with deep political divisions fueling unrest and insecurity.
However, Atiku argues that the federal government’s response is not a genuine effort to restore order but a strategic move to suppress political opposition.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Atiku stated that Tinubu has been a vested partisan actor in the turmoil engulfing Rivers.
He accused the President of either blatantly refusing or deliberately neglecting to prevent the escalation of the crisis, calling it disgraceful.
Beyond the political scheming in Rivers, Atiku highlighted the security breaches that led to the destruction of national infrastructure in the state, arguing that ultimate responsibility lies with Tinubu.
He insisted that the President cannot evade accountability for the chaos his administration has either enabled or failed to prevent.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate further condemned the resurgence of violence and instability in the Niger Delta under Tinubu’s watch.
He stated that the region, which had achieved relative peace through the efforts of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, is now being pushed back into an era of unrest due to selfish political calculations.
Atiku maintained that if federal infrastructure in Rivers has been compromised, Tinubu bears full responsibility.
He warned that using a state of emergency as a tool for political gamesmanship—particularly in the ongoing power struggle between the Rivers governor and Tinubu’s allies—amounts to an assault on democracy.
