The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has launched a blistering attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of abuse of power, constitutional violations, and authoritarian tendencies over his handling of the emergency rule saga in Rivers State.
The party, through its Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, on Wednesday in Abuja, described Tinubu’s suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara during the controversial declaration of emergency rule as a reckless display of dictatorship that undermines Nigeria’s democracy.
> “Yes, I think the President was overreaching. When I read the last paragraph of his speech, where he spoke to governors as if he were a headmaster in a classroom, I felt he should understand fully well that there is a clear division of powers,” Osadolor said.
The opposition party insisted that Tinubu must tender an open apology to Nigerians for what it described as a dangerous precedent that threatens the balance of power between the executive and state governments.
According to Osadolor, “If a sitting President can suspend an elected governor without due process, then nothing will stop future presidents from trampling on state institutions and citizens’ rights. Who then has the powers to check the President, who was also elected? For me, I expected the President to apologise not only to Nigerians but to the wider public.”
The PDP youth leader did not mince words in alleging that the National Assembly was financially induced to ratify an ‘abnormal and illegal report’, rubber-stamping Tinubu’s unilateral actions.
“He did what he did before sending messages to the National Assembly, who allegedly were induced financially to legitimise this illegality. For me, we must encourage stronger institutions and more respect for the Constitution of the land,” Osadolor declared.
Tinubu’s “Military Commander” Rhetoric Under Fire
Osadolor further lambasted the combative tone of Tinubu’s address to governors and stakeholders during the emergency declaration, saying it smacked of military dictatorship.
“The last paragraph where he spoke to governors as if he were a military commander is uncalled for. He should learn to respect offices and recognise that elimination of powers is a direct threat to the Constitution,” he stressed.
Call for Probe Into Rivers Emergency Rule
The PDP stalwart called for a thorough investigation into what he termed a “six-month aberration of an occupational government” in Rivers State, insisting that there was no constitutional provision empowering the President to suspend an elected governor before the National Assembly acts.
“No President, no matter how powerful, emotionally charged, or politically motivated, should use the authority of his office to rip apart the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Osadolor thundered.
The PDP’s fiery reaction adds fuel to the already heated political climate, raising serious questions about Tinubu’s leadership style, the independence of state governments, and the role of the legislature in protecting democratic norms.
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