Former political adviser to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Babafemi Ojudu has strongly condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
Naija News reports that Ojudu, a former lawmaker, called it a “reckless and unnecessary decision” that could have severe economic and security consequences for both the state and Nigeria at large.
In a statement issued shortly after the announcement of the emergency rule, Ojudu expressed shock and dismay over the president’s move, questioning the rationale behind such a drastic step.
He raised concerns that the decision could destabilize Nigeria’s economy and worsen existing security challenges.
Ojudu said: “I have just picked up my phone after breaking my fast to find multiple missed calls and countless messages about an alarming development: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly declared a state of emergency in Rivers State.”
He then questioned: “If this is true, then I must ask: Who advised the President to take this course of action? Whoever it is, they are certainly not a friend of his administration, nor do they have the best interests of Nigeria at heart.”
Ojudu criticized the situation in Rivers as a political dispute that requires dialogue, not military intervention.
He stated: “This is a simple political dispute that requires a simple solution. Call the two gladiators, sit them down, and read them the riot act. One of them, after all, is your own appointee. What will it benefit you, Mr. President, to keep Wike and lose the Nigerian economy?”
Ojudu warned that the decision could worsen the already fragile situation in the Niger Delta, potentially triggering another economic crisis.
The former senator pointed out how previous political mismanagement in the region had severely impacted Nigeria’s economy, recalling how the country’s oil production dropped from 2.5 million barrels per day to less than 400,000 barrels during past conflicts.
“Does the President realize that the Niger Delta crisis twice pushed Nigeria into recession under President Muhammadu Buhari?” he asked.
He cautioned that the current move could lead to renewed sabotage of oil infrastructure, illegal oil bunkering, and increased militant activity, which would have devastating consequences for the national economy.
“If the situation escalates, we risk another shutdown of vital oil production facilities. We risk renewed pipeline sabotage, illegal oil bunkering, and militant activities. We risk another economic nosedive—at a time when Nigeria can least afford it,” Ojudu added.
Ojudu also raised concerns about the impact of this decision on Nigeria’s military resources, which are already stretched thin due to ongoing battles against insurgents, bandits, and kidnappers in other regions of the country.
He warned that diverting military focus to Rivers could harm Nigeria’s ability to address these real security emergencies.
“While we waste energy escalating political battles in Rivers State, thousands of Nigerian soldiers are still fighting for their lives—and for the nation’s survival—against insurgents, bandits, and kidnappers in the North East, North West, and North Central,” he said.
He concluded by urging President Tinubu to reconsider the decision, warning that it could spell disaster for both the administration and the nation.
“This portends disaster—for your administration, for the economy, and for the nation. A state of emergency is not a strategy—it is an admission of failure,” Ojudu stated. “I urge you, Mr. President, to rethink this decision before irreparable damage is done.”
The state of emergency comes amid escalating political tensions between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, and has raised concerns over potential instability in the oil-rich Rivers State.
