Segun Atanda/
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, has defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, insisting that governance in the state had completely collapsed.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Fagbemi cited a Supreme Court ruling that described Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s actions as despotic and concluded that there was effectively no government in Rivers State.
“The Supreme Court made very profound findings of breaches of the Constitution by the governor. The court ruled that he acted like a despot, and as things stand, there is no government in Rivers,” Fagbemi said.
The Attorney General accused Fubara of dismantling the state legislature by demolishing the House of Assembly complex and sidelining lawmakers, making governance impossible. He also alleged that the governor failed to act when militants began vandalizing oil pipelines, endangering national security and the economy.
Fagbemi dismissed claims that Tinubu’s decision was hasty, arguing that the president had made several attempts to mediate the crisis before taking action. He also rejected suggestions that the move was politically motivated, stating that the decision was based solely on the breakdown of law and order.
“The President allowed ample time for the parties involved to make amends. He even mediated personally. But instead of resolving the crisis, the situation worsened,” he said.
With the state of emergency in place, Fagbemi confirmed that a sole administrator would govern Rivers State, pending further developments. The National Assembly is expected to deliberate on the emergency declaration within 48 hours.
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