The Federal Government has defended its decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, with the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, explaining the government’s reasoning behind the move. Fagbemi emphasized that no responsible government could ignore the deteriorating situation in the state, which had escalated into severe issues, including the bombing of oil installations.
According to Fagbemi, the crisis was triggered by the destruction of the State House of Assembly by Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration, which prevented lawmakers from carrying out their duties. This act, he argued, was the root cause of the political turmoil that necessitated the presidential declaration of a state of emergency.
During a session at the Meet the Press forum, Fagbemi further explained that President Bola Tinubu had initially allowed all parties involved in the crisis six months to reach a resolution. However, as the situation worsened, including threats of impeachment against the governor, the federal government had no choice but to intervene with the state of emergency.
The AGF also clarified that with the state of emergency now in effect, the state’s allocations would be disbursed to the new sole administrator upon request, in an effort to stabilize the state and restore governance.
This justification comes amid significant controversy and political debate surrounding the emergency declaration in Rivers State.