BREAKING: Senator Ndume Gives Cryptic Comment Tinubu’s Suspension of Fubara
FCT, Abuja – Ali Ndume, the senator representing Borno South, has finally reacted to the political crisis rocking the Rivers state. The outspoken senator called for calm and urged Nigerians to trust the democratic institutions in the country.
The senator in a tweet on Friday, March 21, urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in their commitment to democracy and the rule of law in the country. This came hours after the Senate voted in support of President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers.
Ndume’s tweet reads in part:
“Nigerians must remain calm and uphold democracy amid the Rivers State crisis. Let’s trust our institutions and work for peace, unity, and stability.”
Rivers: Why Tinubu declared state of emergency
The president declared a state of emergency this week over the failure of the governor and the State House of Assembly to implement the Supreme Court judgment on the political crisis in the state and the security report on ongoing violence.
The Senate convened to debate and vote against or in support of the president’s move, and some senators allegedly kicked against the move during plenary on Thursday, March 20, and this formed the basis of their clash with Senate President Akpabio.
There were reports of heated arguments among the senators and many recorded dissenting views on the state of emergency declaration. The Red Chamber also opted for a voice vote rather than a formal vote count due to an alleged lack of quorum.
The political actors in Rivers
The two political titans in the state, Governor Fubara and the immediate past governor of Rivers and minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, have been at loggerheads barely six months after the former took over the mantle of leadership.
During the broadcast, Tinubu announced the suspension of the governor, his deputy and the lawmakers in the Rivers state House of Assembly. The president subsequently appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice-admiral, as the state’s administrator.
The development has generated several reactions from different quarters in Nigeria with many positing that the president did not have the supreme power to single-handedly suspend the governor and any other elected officers.
Fubara’s suspension: Three senators walk out of Akpabio
Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency did not sit well with some senators, despite the Senate voting in support of the move.
During the debate of the motion, some senators reportedly shared different views, forcing Senate President Godswill Akpabio to adopt voice voting.
Senator Seriake Dickson from Bayelsa state confronted Akpabio during plenary, with three senators also said to have walked out in disagreement.
