Suspending Fubara Is Like Igniting Nuclear Bomb – Bayelsa Senator Warns

Bayelsa Senator, Seriake Dickson, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, saying the action amounted to igniting a nuclear bomb.

Speaking on Arise TV on Wednesday night, the former Bayelsa governor describes the decision as shocking and ill-advised.

He insists that the move lacks justification and undermines democratic principles.

Tinubu on Tuesday suspended Rivers governor, Sim Fubara alongside his deputy and the state assembly over the raging political crisis in the state.

The action has been widely condemned and described as unconstitutional.

Addressing the issue, Dickson says “as a committed democrat, I was shocked when the president’s proclamation was read, and I immediately released a statement to condemn it.”

He insists that although there are concerns in Rivers, the situation did not get to a point that required the president’s action.

He describes the president’s action as an extreme measure, cautioning that a state of emergency does not require the suspension of the governor, deputy, or state lawmakers.

Dickson says, “I have been making calls to ensure this incident is not misinterpreted as an ethnic clash between the Ikwere and Ijaw people. Leaders across all divides must see it for what it is—a political issue.”

He expresses doubts over the level of consultation the president must have carried out before the declaration which according to him runs counter to the principles of constitutional democracy.

He stresses that “the President knows the key actors, yet whatever step he took appears insufficient. Suspending elected officials is like igniting a nuclear bomb in a constitutional democracy.”

Like constitutional lawyers, the Bayelsa Senator questions whether the legal conditions had been met as provided in Section 305 of the Constitution, which allows for a state of emergency.

He argues that “even if they are fulfilled, it does not automatically imply the suspension of the governor or lawmakers.”