Omodele Adigun
The Presidency has dismissed criticisms by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over the reinstatement of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, in a statement on Friday, said the ADC’s comments were belated and unfounded.
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is clear: under Section 305, the President has the power — and the duty — to act when law and order are under grave threat,” Dare noted. He stressed that Tinubu’s decision to impose emergency rule in Rivers was constitutional and necessary to avert bloodshed.
According to him, allegations by the ADC that the President acted “autocratically” and undermined federalism were baseless. He argued that officials in Rivers were never reduced to mere appointees but rather shielded from chaos until governance could be restored.
The statement added that President Tinubu’s intervention ensured stability, the preservation of democratic institutions, and peace in the state. “What ADC offers Nigerians is late pontification and empty noise. What the President delivered is stability, the return of democratic institutions, and peace in Rivers State,” Dare said.
The ADC had on Thursday condemned Tinubu’s actions, warning that the suspension and subsequent reinstatement of Fubara set a dangerous precedent that could encourage federal overreach and weaken Nigeria’s democracy.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the move as “whimsically autocratic” and a threat to constitutional governance.
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