Renowned political economist Prof Pat Utomi has openly criticized General Bola Tinubu’s decision to impose a state of emergency in Rivers State, questioning the justification behind it and pointing to inconsistencies in the general’s approach.
In a national address on Tuesday, March 18, 2024, General Tinubu justified the emergency declaration in Rivers by citing militant attacks on pipelines and the ongoing political turmoil. He appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to oversee the state after suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Prof Ngozi Odu, and all elected Rivers State House of Assembly members.
However, in an interview with Channels Television, Prof Utomi dismissed the move as baseless, arguing that the political crisis in Rivers did not merit such drastic action. He pointed out that even during past administrations, when militants frequently sabotaged pipelines in Rivers, no state of emergency was declared.
Utomi went further, questioning why General Tinubu did not apply the same measure to Lagos State during the tumultuous saga involving Lagos House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and his peers. “What is the problem in Rivers State that warranted a state of emergency? Tell me what it is. When pipelines were blowing up like popcorn in Rivers State, was there a state of emergency?” he asked. “Why did he not declare a state of emergency in Lagos State when the assembly was running back and forth? Why Rivers? There’s something about fairness, equity, and pure decency, and I don’t see it here. It’s a shame they want to rubbish the democracy we all fought so hard for.”
The professor also lambasted the National Assembly for approving General Tinubu’s declaration, calling it an affront to Nigerians. According to Utomi, the endorsement undermines the democratic principles many struggled to establish.
