President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State got more backing at the weekend.
Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo lashed out at former President Goodluck Jonathan for criticising the presidential action.
Information and National Orientation Minister Mohammed Idris defended the “painful but responsible” action.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said a Rivers State without the emergency declaration, given the way things were going, could be better imagined.
Dr. Jonathan, speaking at the weekend, described the emergency declaration in Rivers as an abuse of power.
He went ahead to blame everybody, saying: “The executive, legislature and the judiciary know the correct thing to do but they are refusing to do it.”
Okpebholo, speaking during the kick-off of the 125-kilometre Benin-Auchi road yesterday, described ex-President Jonathan as not decisive when he was President, hence, his criticism of the proactive step by President Tinubu.
He said the declaration of emergency had saved Nigeria’s economy.
The governor said: “The man criticising President Tinubu did not take a similar step when he heard that they were going to kidnap the Chibok girls in 2014. It is better for a President to be proactive. The single decision taken by President Tinubu saved the economy of Nigeria.”
The Edo Governor added: “What President Tinubu did in Rivers State is a welcome development, to ensure peace in the Niger Delta.
“The decision he took to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State is in the best interest of Nigerians.
“When crude oil pipelines in Rivers State were being blown by militants, what did Nigerians expect Mr. President to do on the nation’s economic sustenance?”
Continuing, Okpebholo said: “When Jonathan was Nigeria’s President, the country’s total annual budget was not more than N1.6 trillion, but the N1.6 trillion is what we are sharing monthly (from the Federation Account) in this nation today. That is a man that has vision.”
It was the second time in five days that Okpebholo would back the presidential action.
On Thursday, he dissociated himself from the criticism of the presidential action by the Southsouth Governors Caucus.
He thanked the President for the ongoing Federal road projects in the state, adding that when Dr. Jonathan, a son of the Niger Delta, was President, Edo was not remembered.
Minister defends Tinubu
Idris told The Nation last night that: “The president has no intention whatsoever to take over the governance of Rivers State. He has no intention to appoint a governor for Rivers State.
“Rivers belongs to the people of the state. Just like all the other states of the federation have their governors and are functioning, the President also wants Rivers to function effectively.”
The minister explained that President Tinubu took a “very responsible but very painful decision” as governance in the state had collapsed.
