By Alexandra Umeh
ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Former presidential spokesman Laolu Akande has criticized Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara for not immediately challenging his suspension by President Bola Tinubu.
Akande asserted that if Tinubu had faced a similar situation as governor of Lagos State (1999–2007), he would have swiftly approached the Supreme Court to resist the move.
During Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos governor, he famously took legal action against the then-President Olusegun Obasanjo over the seizure of local government funds.
Drawing from that precedent, Akande argued that Fubara should have been the first to contest his six-month suspension rather than waiting for seven governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to initiate legal proceedings at the Supreme Court.
Akande condemned Fubara’s inaction, labeling it as a lack of courage and insisting that the president had no constitutional authority to suspend a duly elected governor.
“It’s a good move that the PDP governors have taken action. They might just be able to salvage the situation. But I’m shocked that Governor Fubara himself is passive.
“If someone had done this to Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he was governor of Lagos, do you know what he would have done?” Akande questioned.
READ ALSO: PDP Govs Challenge Fubara’s Suspension At Supreme Court, Call Tinubu’s Action Unconstitutional
“He (Fubara) should have been the first to go to court. He is still the governor, he still has a status; he hasn’t been lawfully removed. His suspension is highly questionable.
“The first thing governor Fubara ought to have done, if he knew what he was doing, was to go to court and inform his people that what has happened in Rivers State is unconstitutional. But he lacked the courage.
“How can I be a governor and the president, who was also elected, tells me to step aside? Of course, I would step aside to prevent chaos, but I would immediately challenge it in court.
“I would also tell my people, ‘You elected me, but the president wants me out, and I will fight it.’ That is how democracy is built it’s not just about wearing Agbada (flowing gowns).”
The political crisis in Rivers State has been brewing for two years, with tensions between Fubara and his former political mentor, ex-governor Nyesom Wike. Despite being a PDP member, Wike currently serves as Tinubu’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
On March 18, 2025, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the entire Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial six months. Citing Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, the president justified his decision as necessary to prevent escalating political instability in the state.
Following the suspension, Tinubu swore in retired naval chief Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas as the sole administrator of Rivers State on March 19, 2025. Two days later, the National Assembly approved the emergency rule, a move that has since sparked widespread criticism from pro-democracy groups and activists.
Several prominent Nigerians and organizations have condemned the suspension of Fubara and other elected officials.
Among them are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi, businessman Atedo Peterside, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and senior lawyer Femi Falana.
Political parties, including the Labour Party (LP) and the PDP, as well as civil society groups like the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), have also rejected the move, calling it unconstitutional.