By Augustine Akhilomen
…Says Gov Lacks Courage, Self-Confidence
Former presidential spokesman Laolu Akande has faulted the inability of Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara to challenge president Bola Tinubu’s decision to suspend him immediately the action was taken.
Recall that Tinubu, in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, imposed a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspended Fubara and his deputy Ngozi Odu; as well as the Rivers State House of Assembly members for six months in the first instance.
However, the former presidential aide said Fubara should not have waited for seven governors of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to institute a suit before the Supreme Court of Nigeria, challenging his six-month suspension.
He also said that it was illegal for the President to have suspended an elected governor.
Akanda noted that such Tinubu would have kicked against such declaration if he was governor.
He said, “It’s a good move what the governors of the PDP have done. They probably would be able to save the day. But I’m surprised that Governor Fubara himself is sitting down. If somebody did this to Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he was governor of Lagos, do you know what he would be doing?
“He (Fubara) should be the first to go to court; he is still the governor, he still has a status; he’s not been removed. He couldn’t be removed that way. There is a questionable suspension.
“The first thing Governor Fubara ought to do if he knew what he was doing was to go to court. And to tell his people that what has happened in Rivers State is against the law but he couldn’t find the courage.
“How can I be a governor and the president who was also elected is asking me to go away?
“Of course, I will go away so that there is no trouble but I will go to the courts. And I will tell my people, you elected me, the president has asked me to go to court. It is wrong and I will fight it. That is how we can build democracy. It is not about people in Agbada (flowing gown).”