[BREAKING] Onanuga: President Tinubu’s Intervention in Rivers State Is a Move to ‘Solidify Democracy’
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has defended the president’s intervention in the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, stating that the decision was necessary to prevent a full-blown crisis.
Speaking on the emergency measures taken in the state, Onanuga in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Friday, emphasised that President Tinubu’s actions were aimed at maintaining stability in a region crucial to Nigeria’s economy.
“If President Tinubu had not intervened in Rivers, perhaps things would have been worse by now. The state was already tilting to a state of crisis,” Onanuga said. “I don’t know why Nigerians respond to things in a knee-jerk manner. Rivers State harbors our oil and gas, and the state is like oxygen for the country. The president acted to avert any unforeseen circumstances.”
He further clarified that the officials affected by the emergency rule were not permanently removed but temporarily suspended.
“Also, he suspended and not removed. It is for the good of the country. He is only saying you cannot be there now, let us seek peace first, and then you can come back to your offices,” he said.
Onanuga also dismissed criticisms of the president’s move, arguing that it was a step toward strengthening Nigeria’s democracy rather than undermining it.
“What he has done is to cement and solidify our democracy and not to destroy it. Those who are saying what the president has done is wrong are only sharing their point of view and not necessarily right. The president has done no wrong,” he asserted.
Meanwhile, while reflecting on President Tinubu’s two years in office, Onanuga acknowledged the turbulence of the first year but maintained that reforms were beginning to yield positive results.
“The first year was very turbulent, with many reforms introduced simultaneously, which disrupted a lot of things in the country,” he admitted. “But in the second year, things are getting better. The economy is being shaped properly. The economy is currently witnessing a boom.”
He highlighted the removal of fuel subsidies as one of the key reforms that initially led to price hikes but is now stabilising.
“In removing subsidy, prices first started going up, then it started coming down. What we are seeing is a vast improvement in the economy,” Onanuga stated.
As the administration marks its second anniversary, Onanuga believes it is a time for celebration. “Second anniversary for us is a celebration time as the reforms are taking shape. We need to commend the president for the courage in bringing those reforms on board,” he concluded.
The comments come at a time of heightened political debate over the administration’s handling of economic and governance challenges, with supporters praising its policies and critics questioning their impact on ordinary Nigerians.
