Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it an act of “political manipulation and outright bad faith.”
Atiku accused Tinubu of being a direct participant in the state’s political crisis, alleging that his administration either fueled or failed to prevent the escalating turmoil.
“His blatant refusal or calculated negligence in preventing this escalation is nothing short of disgraceful,” Atiku stated in a post on X on Tuesday.
He further condemned the security breaches that led to the destruction of national infrastructure in Rivers, insisting that the responsibility lies with the President.
“If federal infrastructure in Rivers has been compromised, the President bears full responsibility,” he said.
“Punishing the people of Rivers State just to serve the political gamesmanship between the governor and Tinubu’s enablers in the Federal Government is nothing less than an assault on democracy and must be condemned in the strongest terms,” he added.
Atiku also accused Tinubu of reversing the peace achieved in the Niger Delta under former President Umaru Yar’Adua, stating that his administration has thrown the region “back into an era of violent unrest and instability.”
The former Vice President urged Nigerians to reject what he described as a political agenda, emphasizing that the crisis in Rivers State should not be exploited for partisan gains.
