Two national groups, The Democratic Front (TDF) and Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) have joined other patriotic groups and notable Nigerians to defend President Bola Tinubu’s proclamation of a State of Emergency in Rivers State.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo, TDF described it as a bold move to prevent a total breakdown of law and order following protracted political rancour between the Executive and Legislative arms of government.
It said: “We recall that less than a week before the presidential proclamation, the President hosted the leadership of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) in Abuja where he advised on quick implementation of the Supreme Court Judgement that recognized the 27 members of the State Assembly.
“Subsequently, The Democratic Front issued a statement after the event on the need to heed President Tinubu’s advice in obeying the Supreme Court Judgement, and also explore the window of reconciliation which was initiated by the President over a year ago.
“Unfortunately, PANDEF was not able to strike any reasonable compromise with the parties in the dispute, which has paralyzed the administration of the state with severe consequences on economic development in nearly two years.
“It was evident that both parties in the political dispute were not prepared to work together in the interest of the state.
“In our view, no responsible President or government will stay passive and watch the rapid degeneration of state affairs from an orderly democratic system anchored on the principle of the Rule of Law to condone lawlessness and look away from the theatre of a contrived balance of terror, as evident in the bombing of pipelines.
“We also welcome the unanimous approval of the State of Emergency by both chambers of the National Assembly, because we believe that President Tinubu acted in the interest of peace and security of residents of the state.”
TDF urge all the parties in the conflict to see the six months of the emergency rule as another opportunity to seek a peaceful end to their differences.
On his part, TMSG faulted ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s stance on the judiciary in his criticism of the state of emergency.
In a statement signed by its Chairman Emeka Nwankpa and Secretary Dapo Okubanjo, TMSG described it as an unnecessary and unwarranted attack on the judiciary.
It said: “We concede that like all Nigerians, former President Goodluck Jonathan has every right to express his thoughts on the President’s proclamation of emergency rule in Rivers State, but we are taken aback by his innuendo on the judiciary.
“His allegation that government functionaries were compromising the judiciary is a grave one because of the impression he created of a judiciary that is neither autonomous nor independent.
“We see it as an uncharitable comment especially as it is tied to President Bola Tinubu’s decision to declare emergency rule and suspend democratic institutions in the state.
“We honestly wonder where the former President was when the executive and legislature were engaged in a war of attrition that was threatening to extend to the streets of Port Harcourt and the creeks?
“We are aware that President Tinubu made two attempts to intervene in the issue, including getting Governor Sim Fubara and the House of Assembly leadership to sign a peace deal in the presence of key political stakeholders.
“There is, however, no record of any attempt from former President Jonathan as a respected elder statesman to intervene at any point in the last year, only for us to see him jumping into the fray with a condemnation of the President and a scathing remark about the judiciary.
“If our respected former President had taken the pain to read the ruling of the Supreme Court on the Rivers situation, he would have noticed the apex court’s position on the absence of governance in the state as a result of the recalcitrance of both sides.
“Even after the President had encouraged the Governor and the lawmakers to abide by the court ruling, there was no sign that both sides were prepared to work together so we wondered what Jonathan expected Tinubu to do. What would he have done if he were in the president’s position?
“Should he have declined to declare a state of emergency and left the warring parties in place to continue to stoke the embers of tension rather than take proactive steps to protect critical national infrastructure and the lives of the residents of the state?
“We dare say that President Tinubu acted in the national interest by suspending the democratic institutions for six months in line with his powers to proclaim emergency rule.
“And like a former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), J.B. Daudu said, the fact that the former President did not suspend democratic institutions when he imposed an Emergency rule in three North East states in 2023 for 18 months does not mean another President would toe a similar path.”
TMSG also expressed hope that former President Jonathan would use his clout as the only Niger Deltan to have held the position of president to contribute to mediatory efforts in Rivers state in the next six months
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