(DDM) – Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a blistering attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his handling of the Rivers State political crisis, accusing him of undermining Nigeria’s constitution and displaying authoritarian tendencies.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that Atiku, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), took to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday to denounce Tinubu’s lifting of the six-month suspension imposed on Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the State House of Assembly.
Atiku declared the initial suspension unconstitutional and the subsequent reinstatement illegal, insisting that Tinubu lacked the power to remove or restore duly elected state officials.
“Lifting the suspension of Governor Simi Fubara is nothing to cheer about,” Atiku 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.”
President Tinubu had, on Wednesday, announced the termination of the state of emergency rule in Rivers, effective midnight September 17, 2025. The state of emergency had been declared on March 18, 2025, after a bitter standoff between Governor Fubara and the Rivers House of Assembly brought governance to a halt.
Tinubu, in his official statement, expressed optimism that Rivers stakeholders had embraced a “new spirit of understanding” that paved the way for a return to democratic order.
“I am happy today that, from the intelligence available to me, there is a groundswell of a new spirit of understanding, a robust readiness, and potent enthusiasm on the part of all the stakeholders in Rivers State for an immediate return to democratic governance,” Tinubu said.
The President thanked the National Assembly for backing his decision to impose emergency rule, while also appreciating traditional rulers and Rivers citizens for their patience and cooperation.
He confirmed that with effect from September 18, 2025, Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Nma Odu, and all members of the House of Assembly would resume their official duties.
Tinubu also urged state governors and legislators across Nigeria to prioritize peace, order, and effective governance in order to deliver democratic dividends.
While the lifting of the state of emergency was welcomed by some stakeholders in Rivers as a chance for normalcy, Atiku’s intervention has reignited debate about presidential overreach and constitutional abuse under Tinubu’s administration.
Political observers note that Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution provides clear processes for removing elected governors, largely through impeachment by their respective Houses of Assembly, not presidential decrees. Atiku and other critics argue that Tinubu’s direct suspension of Fubara set a dangerous precedent that undermines state autonomy and federalism.
The Rivers crisis, which began with a power struggle between Governor Fubara and members of the State Assembly allegedly loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike, escalated into violent clashes earlier in 2025. The constitutional impasse prompted Tinubu to declare emergency rule, citing the breakdown of law and order.
Atiku, however, maintains that the move was never justified, describing it as an assault on democracy dressed up as crisis management. His latest comments have further widened the gulf between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition PDP.
The reinstatement of Governor Fubara is expected to bring temporary relief to Rivers residents who have endured months of political paralysis. But Atiku’s harsh rebuke underscores the lingering tension over the Tinubu administration’s governance style, with fears that executive overreach could erode democratic institutions.
For many Nigerians, the Rivers episode has once again raised the question of whether President Tinubu is strengthening or weakening the fragile foundations of Nigeria’s federal democracy.
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