Ex-President Jonathan knocks Tinubu, others over Rivers emergency rule, says act a clear abuse of power

Jonathan, who didn’t mention President Bola Tinubu directly, accused government officials of “clear abuse of offices, clear abuse of power, and clear abuse of privileges” across all three arms of government.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has weighed in on the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, accusing key actors across the executive, legislature, and judiciary of abusing power.

Speaking at the annual colloquium of the Haske Satumari Foundation on Saturday in Abuja, Jonathan said the state of emergency rule imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu was a clear abuse of power.

According to the former president, those in power know the right thing to do but are deliberately ignoring it.

Jonathan, who didn’t mention President Bola Tinubu directly, accused government officials of “clear abuse of offices, clear abuse of power, and clear abuse of privileges” across all three arms of government.

He also warned that the compromised state of Nigeria’s judiciary was scaring away investors and damaging the country’s international reputation.

His words: “As a former president and someone from the Niger Delta, when the issue of suspending the governor arose, people called on me. I heard, ‘Oh, President Jonathan, oh, President Obasanjo, you should say something.’ People expected us to comment.

“But traditionally, all over the world, former presidents rarely make statements about what the current president is doing because of the tension it could create in the country. Look at America, look at other countries—it is hardly common for former presidents to intervene in such matters.

“The situation in Rivers State reminds me of an Indian proverb: If somebody is truly asleep, you can wake them up easily. But if they are only pretending to sleep, waking them up becomes impossible. The key actors in Nigeria—the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary—know the right thing to do, but they are refusing to do it. They are pretending to sleep. Waking such people is extremely difficult, but they know the right thing.

“There is a clear abuse of office, power, and privileges across the three arms of government—the executive, the parliament, and the judiciary. And I always plead with our people to understand that whatever we do affects everybody. Sometimes, we make decisions thinking they do not impact us directly.

“I have been a president before, and even after leaving office, people approach me with concerns. They ask: ‘Why is our passport not valued as much?’ ‘Why are Nigerians not given the kind of treatment we deserve at international airports?’

“No businessman will bring his money to invest in a country where the judiciary is compromised, where a government functionary can dictate to judges what judgment they should give. No one will invest in such an economy because it is a big risk.”

He urged political leaders at all levels to act with integrity, warning that continued abuse of power could lead to national instability.

“If we want to build a nation where our children and grandchildren can thrive, we must strive to do what is right. It may cost us, but we must be willing to pay the price,” he added.

Speaking, the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Muftwang, said the role of good governance and of any government is to promote inclusion, equity, and diversity.

The governor, who was represented by the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Plateau State University, Shadrach Best, said the Plateau experience is something Nigeria can learn from.

“It is the wish of the governor that you please make time and visit Plateau State and enjoy our diversity, enjoy our cultural diversity, enjoy our good weather, especially in the months of March and April. You would like to be in Plateau State. Enjoy our good weather, enjoy our hospitable people.

“Nigeria is a minority that does not have deposits of oil, but we have deposits of tin and other precious minerals in our state. Nigeria has a lot to learn from the Plateau experience in managing diversity.

“There are times that we have failed to manage our diversity well. And when we did that, we fought ourselves. People fought us.”

In her keynote address, Kenyan Senator Crystal Asige said gaps in diversity, equity, and inclusion are not confined to a single nation, adding that they are prevalent across jurisdictions worldwide, including Nigeria and Kenya.

She said: “In both Kenya and Nigeria, we continue to face systemic barriers that hinder our full participation in political, social, and economic life as PWDs.

“Despite legal frameworks designed to promote inclusivity, enforcement remains very weak, leaving us marginalized in key areas such as politics, employment, education, health care, and social protection.

“The political landscape remains impenetrable for us, with us struggling to gain leadership skills and positions, influence party policies, or participate meaningfully in governments.

“In Kenya, there is a constitutional requirement for five per cent representation of PWDs in appointed and elective positions, but that remains unmet.

“It is a good initiative, but it remains unmet, unfortunately. I did some research for here in Nigeria, and I found that, and you can correct me if I’m wrong, the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act of 2018 acknowledges the need for political inclusion but has had no impact due to poor enforcement and lack of political goodwill.”