The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, has described the comments made by former President Goodluck Jonathan and Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka on the emergency rule in Rivers State as personal opinions.
President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in Rivers, which led to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly, has drawn reactions from political observers, elder statesmen, activists, and legal experts.
Former President Jonathan, while speaking at the Haske Satumari Foundation Colloquium in Abuja on Saturday, March 22, 2025, expressed disappointment over the suspension of Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly members. He warned that Tinubu’s decision could bring Nigeria into disrepute.
Jonathan accused the three arms of government in Rivers of abusing power and argued that they all contributed to the ongoing political crisis in the state.
“A clear abuse of offices, clear abuse of power, clear abuse of privileges, cutting across the three arms of government — from the executive through the parliament and to the judiciary,” he said.
Similarly, Professor Soyinka criticised Tinubu’s decision, arguing that it was against the spirit of federalism. He called for a national discussion on the issue, stating that the 1999 Constitution grants excessive power to the president.
“The government is over-centralised. The debate will go on whether this (state of emergency) was, in the first place, a wise decision, but in terms of fundamental principles, I believe that this is against the federal spirit of association,” he said.
Reacting to their statements, Ajayi said both Jonathan and Soyinka were expressing personal views, just like other Nigerians.
“Professor Wole Soyinka and former President Goodluck Jonathan are respected statesmen. Like many Nigerians that have offered varied opinions on the President’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, the two distinguished Nigerians have also offered their own opinions too,” he said.
Ajayi defended Tinubu’s action, stating that it was part of his constitutional responsibility as president and was necessary to prevent chaos in Rivers State.
“President Tinubu has a country to govern, and he has exercised his power under the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“President Tinubu has a duty to preserve Nigeria’s corporate existence. He won’t allow any part of the country or state to descend into chaos.
“The Supreme Court ruled that there is no functioning government in Rivers State known to the constitution of Nigeria. President Tinubu won’t fail in his sacred duty to protect and preserve the country,” Ajayi said.