A wave of strong reactions has trailed reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, with critics warning of dire economic and security implications for Nigeria.
A prominent political figure, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, who had previously represented the Ekiti State Central Senatorial District in the Senate, reacting to the development, questioned the rationale behind the reported decision, describing it as reckless and unnecessary.
In a press statement, he expressed shock over the news, calling on the President to reconsider the move.
“If this is true, then I must ask: Who advised the President to take this course of action? Whoever it is, they are certainly not a friend of his administration, nor do they have the best interests of Nigeria at heart,” he stated.
The critic warned that the decision could lead to severe economic consequences, citing historical precedents of crises in the Niger Delta that negatively impacted Nigeria’s oil production. He reminded the President that under former President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s oil output once dropped from 2.5 million barrels per day to below 400,000 barrels per day due to unrest in the region, contributing to economic recessions.
“It took years of painstaking effort and immense risks to stabilize the region, stop the sabotage of oil infrastructure, and restore some level of production. I should know—I was part of that difficult and excruciating process. This decision threatens to undo all that progress,” he cautioned.
He further stressed that if the crisis escalates, the nation could face renewed militant activities, pipeline sabotage, and illegal oil bunkering, all of which could trigger another economic downturn.
“The global oil market is unforgiving. Investors do not wait for internal political conflicts to be resolved. They simply take their capital elsewhere. Mr. President, this is not just about Rivers State. It is about Nigeria’s economic survival,” he emphasised.
Beyond economic threats, Ojudu also raised concerns about the implications for national security, arguing that Nigeria’s armed forces are already overstretched combating insurgency, banditry, and kidnappings in various regions.
“Thousands of Nigerian soldiers are still fighting for their lives—and for the nation’s survival—against insurgents, bandits, and kidnappers in the North East, North West, and North Central. These are the real emergencies. These are the crises that demand decisive leadership. Nigeria cannot afford to be fighting on multiple fronts—politically, economically, and militarily. Mr. President, do not open a new war front in Rivers State while real wars are still raging elsewhere,” he stated.
He President Tinubu to reconsider the reported decision and explore diplomatic solutions, including mediating between the key political actors in Rivers State.
He argued that the crisis remains a political dispute that requires political solutions rather than drastic measures such as a state of emergency.
“Call the two gladiators, sit them down, and read them the riot act. One of them, after all, is your own appointee. What will it benefit you, Mr. President, to keep Wike and lose the Nigerian economy?” he asked.
Concluding his statement, he described the move as a “disaster in the making” and urged the President to rethink his approach before irreversible damage is done.
