Rivers: PDP govs tackle Tinubu over emergency rule

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) Governors Forum, has described the declaration of emergency rule by President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State as a threat to the country’s democracy.

The forum, in a statement by its chairman, and Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, called on Tinubu to accept that he erred and reverse his actions immediately.

President Tinubu had on Tuesday declared an emergency rule in Rivers State and suspended the Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, the deputy governor, Ngozi Odu and the state House of Assembly fod six months, over the political crisis in the state.

However, the opposition governors, while expressing solidarity with Fubara, berated President Tinubu for keeping silent over the alleged role of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike,in the Rivers State political crisis.

“We stand in solidarity with His Excellency , Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and the good people of Rivers State at this very difficult and trying moment of the state’s political history. There is no other time that our philosophy of ‘touch one, touch all’ is more apt than now.

“He who goes to the court of equity must go with clean hands. Mr. President , your silence on the active role played by your Minister of the FCT in the Rivers impasse is golden and enabling. He has become a law unto himself because he was playing out your script. Now we know. This is totally un-statesmanly, biased, and divisive.

” We state categorically that this unwarranted but premeditated attack on Rivers State and the Peoples Democratic Party and other opposition parties is today, the greatest threat to democracy in our dear country, Nigeria and it is an ill wind that will blow no one any good.

” It is a dangerous course of action that will not only endanger our hard won democracy, but will exacerbate the crises in the nation, deepen mistrust, elevate security threats, destroy the economy, and our national cohesion and stability,” the PDP governors stated.