In a dramatic turn that deepens the political crisis in Rivers State, former Minister of Transportation and ex-Governor of Rivers, Rotimi Amaechi, has issued a scathing indictment of President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of violating the Nigerian Constitution and orchestrating what he described as a “constitutional coup.”
Speaking at the 9th Annual Leadership Discourse of the Akinjide Adeosun Foundation in Lagos, Amaechi condemned Tinubu’s decision to suspend Governor Siminalayi Fubara and impose a state of emergency in Rivers State.
He described the move as not just illegal, but a direct breach of the Constitution, which he referred to as “the Bible of the nation.”
“This is not a matter of breaking the law—it is a desecration of the constitution itself,” Amaechi said, warning that such impunity could destroy the very foundation of democracy in Nigeria.
He further slammed the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “military-style takeover” of a democratically elected state government. Amaechi, once a close ally of Tinubu, described the legislature as “very weak,” saying its silence in the face of executive overreach was evidence of its failure.
“The President removed an elected governor and appointed a military man. Yet the country carried on like it was normal. This is how countries collapse—when constitutions become meaningless,” he added.
The Rivers crisis, which began with infighting among political factions loyal to Tinubu and Fubara, escalated when the president suspended key officials and appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd) as the state’s new administrator. Critics see the move as a dangerous precedent that could threaten Nigeria’s fragile federal structure.
As tensions rise, Amaechi’s bold comments are expected to galvanize both political opposition and constitutional scholars, raising the stakes in what is becoming a national debate on the limits of presidential power.
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