Former federal lawmaker, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it a “reckless and unnecessary decision” with potential economic and security consequences for both the state and the nation.
Ojudu in a statement issued shortly after President Tinubu declared the state of emergency during a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday evening, expressed shock and dismay over the President’s move, questioning the rationale behind such a drastic step.
He questioned whether keeping his ally, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike, is worth jeopardizing Nigeria’s economy.
READ ALSO: Rivers: Tinubu Has Committed Impeachable Offence, Abati Says
“I have just picked up my phone after breaking my fast to find multiple missed calls and countless messages about an alarming development: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly declared a state of emergency in Rivers State,” Ojudu said.
“If this is true, then I must ask: Who advised the President to take this course of action? Whoever it is, they are certainly not a friend of his administration, nor do they have the best interests of Nigeria at heart.”
Ojudu emphasized that the situation in Rivers State is a political dispute that requires dialogue rather than military intervention.
“How could the President willingly walk into a raging inferno with his eyes wide open? No, no, no… this must be the work of fifth columnists. The Tinubu I once knew would not have made such a reckless and unnecessary decision,” he said.
According to him, “To what end? This is a simple political dispute that requires a simple solution. Call the two gladiators, sit them down, and read them the riot act.
“One of them, after all, is your own appointee. What will it benefit you, Mr. President, to keep Wike and lose the Nigerian economy?”
Ojudu warned that such a decision could trigger an economic crisis reminiscent of past instability in the Niger Delta.
He recalled how political mismanagement twice led Nigeria into recession under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Does the President realize that the Niger Delta crisis twice pushed Nigeria into recession under President Muhammadu Buhari?” he asked.
He further stated, “Has he been informed that at one point, Nigeria’s oil production collapsed to below 400,000 barrels per day, down from 2.5 million barrels per day?
“That catastrophic drop in production was a direct result of political mismanagement and conflict in the region.”
He stressed that years of painstaking efforts had been invested in stabilizing the region, preventing sabotage of oil infrastructure, and restoring production levels.
He warned that the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers could reverse this progress and lead to renewed attacks on oil facilities, illegal bunkering, and economic instability.
“If the situation escalates, we risk another shutdown of vital oil production facilities. We risk renewed pipeline sabotage, illegal oil bunkering, and militant activities.
“We risk another economic nosedive—at a time when Nigeria can least afford it,” he cautioned.
Ojudu added, “The global oil market is unforgiving. Investors do not wait for internal political conflicts to be resolved. They simply take their capital elsewhere.”
Ojudu also raised concerns about the strain this decision could place on Nigeria’s already overburdened security forces, which are engaged in ongoing battles against insurgents, bandits, and kidnappers across multiple regions.
“While we waste energy escalating political battles in Rivers State, thousands of Nigerian soldiers are still fighting for their lives—and for the nation’s survival—against insurgents, bandits, and kidnappers in the North East, North West, and North Central.
“These are the real emergencies. These are the crises that demand decisive leadership,” he said.
He argued that Nigeria’s military resources should not be diverted to a political conflict in Rivers State when they are desperately needed elsewhere.
Ojudu said, “Nigeria cannot afford to be fighting on multiple fronts—politically, economically, and militarily. Mr. President, do not open a new war front in Rivers State while real wars are still raging elsewhere.”
He urged President Tinubu to reconsider the move, warning that it could spell disaster for his administration and the nation as a whole.
“This portends disaster—for your administration, for the economy, and for the nation. A state of emergency is not a strategy—it is an admission of failure.
“There are far more effective, far less destructive ways to handle this situation. I urge you, Mr. President, to rethink this decision before irreparable damage is done,” he said.
The declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State comes amid escalating political tensions involving Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike.
The power struggle between the two political heavyweights has resulted in political instability and concerns over governance in the oil-rich state.
Rivers State, located in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, is a major hub of the country’s oil and gas industry, making it strategically important to the national economy.
Previous conflicts in the region have led to devastating economic consequences, including drastic reductions in oil production and increased militant activities.
As Nigeria navigates a challenging economic landscape, stakeholders and political analysts have cautioned against any decision that could exacerbate existing tensions.
