Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has criticized the National Assembly for endorsing President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State. On Thursday, the National Assembly approved the president’s decision through a voice vote, a move that has sparked widespread controversy and condemnation from various quarters. In a statement on Friday, Obi described the approval as a reflection of Nigeria’s fragile democracy, which he labeled as "transactional" and "devoid of genuine opposition." He argued that the absence of a functional opposition undermines democratic principles, stating, "What we are left with…

The South-South Governors' Forum has expressed deep concern over the recent declaration of a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, calling into question the constitutional basis for the decision and urging a return to dialogue and legal processes to resolve the ongoing political crisis. In a strongly worded statement signed by Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, who chairs the Forum, the governors acknowledged the President's constitutional duty to maintain law and order across Nigeria. However, they argued that the current political situation in Rivers State does not meet the threshold for declaring a state…

A coalition of prominent political leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it an unconstitutional overreach and a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy. The coalition also accused the National Assembly of fraudulently approving the emergency declaration by bypassing the constitutional requirement of a two-thirds majority vote. At a press conference on Thursday, Atiku, flanked by El-Rufai, Labour Party spokesperson Yunusa Tanko, and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Emeka Ihedioha, described Tinubu’s actions as illegal and…

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has said that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had no role in the political crisis that led to President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State. Addressing State House correspondents in Abuja, Fagbemi also confirmed that the state’s federal allocations—previously withheld—would be released if requested by Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas (retd.), the newly appointed sole administrator of the state. He justified the emergency rule, stating that it was necessary to prevent further chaos, accusing the suspended governor, Siminalayi Fubara,…