State of Emergency: Former President Jonathan says Suspension of Fubara, lawmakers dents Nigeria’s image

Former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has said that the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and other elected officials of Rivers State, dents Nigeria’s image.

Jonathan said this while speaking as the Chairman at the Haske Satumari Foundation Colloquium in Abuja on Saturday (today).

He expressed disappointment that elected officials had been removed.

Meanwhile, same day, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, supported President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers.

The party said no responsible government will allow a situation to deteriorate before taking decisive action in the best interest of its citizens.

NNPP National Chairman, Dr. Agbo Major, told newsmen: “President Tinubu is the Chief Security Officer of Nigeria.

“The information available to him as president from intelligence sources may not be in the public purview.

“The government in Rivers was suspended and no one can actually say what would have happened by now, judging from the deepening crisis.

“The crisis was further compounded by some leaders who, instead of offering advice or promoting peace during the turmoil, allowed it to escalate before later stepping in to criticize.”

But for President Jonathan, “These actions by key actors in the executive and legislative arms of government paint the country in a negative light.”

He said it was not the norm for former presidents to comment on issues, so as not to heat up the polity.

However, Jonathan said, his comment became necessary after calls from many Nigerians, urging him to speak on the events in Rivers State.

He added that the image of the country and how much investments a country attracts is dependent on the actions of the executive, legislature and judiciary of that country.

Goodluck Jonathan faulted the situation where an individual can dictate to the judiciary, noting that it makes it difficult for anyone to have faith in the judiciary.

His words: “What is happening in Nigeria today regarding the situation in Rivers state is like an Indian proverb that says: ‘If somebody is sleeping, really sleeping, you can easily wake up that person. But if that person is pretending to sleep, you find it difficult to wake up that person’.

“The key actors in Nigeria, from the executive to the legislature, judiciary and the Senate and the judiciary… they know the correct thing to do. But they are refusing to do it.

“They are pretending to sleep and waking such a person is extremely difficult because the person knows the right thing.

“A clear abuse of office and clear abuse of power cutting across from the three arms of government — from the executive to the parliament and the judiciary.”He said it was not the norm for former presidents to comment on issues, so as not to heat up the polity.

However, Jonathan said, his comment became necessary after calls from many Nigerians, urging him to speak on the events in Rivers State.

He added that the image of the country and how much investments a country attracts is dependent on the actions of the executive, legislature and judiciary of that country.

Goodluck Jonathan faulted the situation where an individual can dictate to the judiciary, noting that it makes it difficult for anyone to have faith in the judiciary.His words: “What is happening in Nigeria today regarding the situation in Rivers state is like an Indian proverb that says: ‘If somebody is sleeping, really sleeping, you can easily wake up that person. But if that person is pretending to sleep, you find it difficult to wake up that person’.

“The key actors in Nigeria, from the executive to the legislature, judiciary and the Senate and the judiciary… they know the correct thing to do. But they are refusing to do it.

“They are pretending to sleep and waking such a person is extremely difficult because the person knows the right thing.

“A clear abuse of office and clear abuse of power cutting across from the three arms of government — from the executive to the parliament and the judiciary.”