Politics

UPDATED: Atiku Announces Coalition To Unseat Tinubu In 2027 [FULL SPEECH]

Published

5 months ago

March 20, 2025

Editor

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 General Election, Atiku Abubakar, has announced the formation of a coalition of opposition political parties to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

The former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku, made this known while responding to a question on behalf of the opposition leaders at an ongoing press conference at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.

He said, “Yes, this is the birth of the coalition of opposition ahead of 2027.”

This announcement comes amid the chaos in Rivers State.

Recall that on Tuesday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State.

Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration has sparked condemnations among Nigerians.

See full speech below:
JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE BY CONCERNED LEADERS AND POLITICAL STAKEHOLDERS IN NIGERIA ON THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU

Fellow Nigerians,

We, a cross-section of leaders and political stakeholders from across the country, have come together to address the dangerous and unconstitutional actions taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on March 18, 2025—to wit, the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State and the illegal suspension of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and the State House of Assembly.

This action is not only unlawful but a clear attempt to subvert democracy and impose federal control over a duly elected state government. We strongly condemn this development and call on all Nigerians of good conscience to resist this brazen assault on constitutional governance.

Seemingly, Mr President’s illegal and unconstitutional proclamation was driven by the protracted insidious political crisis in Rivers State, culminating in the recent ruling of the Supreme Court. Ordinarily, all parties involved would have been expected to follow laid-down procedures, motivated by good faith, to quickly implement the judgment of the highest court of the land. We note that Governor Fubara’s disposition is geared towards full implementation of the ruling of the Supreme Court, despite provocative statements from opposing quarters.

It is also notable that Mr President’s broadcast to the nation on 18th March 2025 betrayed his bias and is infra dig of the sophisticated communication expected from the highest office in the land. By so doing, the President dragged himself and his highly exalted office into the arena of the political brawl, thereby denigrating his high office through inelegant language, predisposed excessiveness and malignant deportment.

The Constitutional Violations

1.Illegal Removal of a Governor and State Assembly

The Nigerian Constitution does not empower the President to remove an elected Governor, Deputy Governor, or State Assembly under any circumstances. The procedure for removing a Governor is clearly outlined in Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) through an impeachment process initiated by the State House of Assembly—not by presidential proclamation.

2.Misuse of Section 305 on State of Emergency

Section 305 of the Constitution allows the President to declare a State of Emergency only in extreme cases where public safety, national security, or Nigeria’s sovereignty is at serious risk. However, it does not grant him the power to suspend elected officials or to demolish democratic structures as is currently being attempted.

Furthermore, Section 305(1) states that any proclamation of emergency is subject to the provisions of the Constitution—meaning it cannot override the tenure and removal procedures of a Governor.

3.Failure to Meet Constitutional Requirements for Emergency Rule

The conditions under Section 305(3) for declaring a state of emergency include:

War or external aggression

Breakdown of public order and safety

Natural disasters or any other grave emergency threatening Nigeria’s corporate existence

None of these conditions exist in current circumstances in Rivers State. There is no war, no widespread violence, and no breakdown of law and order warranting emergency rule.

4.Failure to Follow Due Process

Even if an emergency declaration were valid (which it is not), it would still require a two-thirds majority approval of ALL members of the National Assembly—that is, at least, 72 Senators and 240 members of the House of Representatives. If this approval is not secured, the proclamation must automatically cease to have effect.

5.Alternative Legal Avenues Were Ignored

If the issue was the dysfunction of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the President could have encouraged the National Assembly to intervene under Section 11 of the Constitution. However, even under such an intervention, the Governor and Deputy Governor cannot be removed by any arm of government except through constitutional means, as the proviso to S. 11(4) clearly provides.

A Manufactured Crisis for Political Control

This State of Emergency declaration is not about security—it is about power. The disagreements within Rivers State stem from the defection of 27 Assembly members from the PDP to the APC, their loss of seats under constitutional provisions, and the subsequent political manoeuvring to undermine the Governor’s mandate.

Rather than allowing the law to take its course, the federal government has engineered a crisis to justify this unconstitutional action. The excuse of pipeline vandalism—an issue squarely under the control of federal security agencies and privately contracted security firms—is laughable. If security breaches are the concern, the first question should be: Who controls the police, the military, and the DSS? The Governor or the President?

Our Demand and Call to Action

1.Immediate Reversal: We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately revoke this unconstitutional proclamation and reinstate the elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and State Assembly of Rivers State.

2.National Assembly’s Rejection: We call on patriotic Senators and Representatives to vote against this illegal action when it comes before them for approval. The National Assembly must not be used to legitimise an unconstitutional power grab.

3.Judicial Intervention: We urge the judiciary to act swiftly in striking down this proclamation, as it sets a dangerous precedent that could be used to arbitrarily remove any Governor in the future.

4.Nigerians Must Defend Democracy: We call on all civil society organisations, political groups, and Nigerians of good conscience to stand firm in the defence of this democracy that we have all toiled to build. Rivers State is not a conquered territory, and Nigeria is not a dictatorship requiring the replacement of an ELECTED GOVERNOR with a MILITARY ADMINISTRATOR.

Conclusion

A peaceful Niger Delta is critical to the economic health and stability of Nigeria. The federal government should not manufacture political crises that could disrupt this fragile stability.

We must never allow personal political interests to override the principles of federalism, democracy, and constitutional governance. This is not just about Rivers State—it is about the future of Nigeria’s democracy.

We thank you all.

Thursday, 20th March, 2025.

Politics

Wike Gives Update On Rivers Emergency Rule Expires Date

Published

3 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday said he was optimistic that the state of emergency declared in Rivers State would expire on September 18.

He disclosed this after casting his vote in the ongoing local government election in the state.

Wike noted that the expiration would pave the way for the state House of Assembly to resume its legislative duties.

“As far as we are concerned, this election is peaceful, people are trooping out and at the end of the day the election has been conducted successfully and peacefully.

“I do know that by September 18, the state of emergency will expire and the state assembly will come back to their job and we will have a government at the grassroots level,” Wike said.

The minister said the conditions were right for lifting the state of emergency since both state and local governments now had representation.

He added, “The coast is clear for the state of emergency to be lifted, being that the state government has its representative and the local government has its representatives, so we are good to go.”

President Bola Tinubu had earlier imposed emergency rule in Rivers to prevent a political crisis, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the State House of Assembly for six months.

Politics

APC Mocks Jonathan As ADC Woos Him For 2027 Race

Published

8 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

There were reports on Friday that a powerful group within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is wooing ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for the 2027 presidential race.

A source close to both the former president and the ADC told Saturday Tribune on Friday that the former president is seriously considering running in the coming presidential polls.

The source confirmed that key figures in the ADC were comfortable with having Jonathan as their presidential candidate and had, in fact, reached out to him.

He, however, said the former president was torn between his loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) “which made him” and the ADC which, he said, had the potential of winning the election if it gets the right candidate.

“Former President Goodluck Jonathan is worried that certain persons with strong links to the Villa may still be in control of the PDP and may mess him up if he seeks the ticket of that party,” the source said.

He added that Jonathan’s only issue with the ADC is that “he does not want to contest against Peter Obi because he believes that the Igbo people supported him in 2015 even more than his own Ijaw people.”

While saying emphatically that Jonathan would run except he could not find a platform, the source added that “if he chooses our party (ADC), we will zone the presidency to the South. If he does not come to us, we will have no option than to go to the North because politics is about numbers and winning.”

Jonathan can’t defeat Tinubu —APC

Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that former President Goodluck Jonathan cannot defeat its candidate, Bola Tinubu, in the presidential election coming up in 2027.

The Lagos State chapter of the party said on Friday that it had observed with keen interest the growing speculations surrounding the possible return of former President Jonathan to the 2027 presidential race, and therefore made the submission.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Jonathan, who lost his re-election bid in 2015 to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, is being persuaded by supporters to seek reelection in 2027 general elections.

NAN reported APC’s spokesman in Lagos State, Mr Seye Oladejo, in a statement on Friday as noting that the former president’s political relevance to unseat President Bola Tinubu, remained in doubt.

“While we acknowledge the former president’s role in the peaceful democratic transition of 2015, an act that rightly earned him praise at home and abroad, we must state, in clear terms, that Nigeria has since moved beyond the politics of sentiment, nostalgia, and symbolism.

“The challenges of today and the future require bold, capable, and forward-thinking leadership, not a return to the comfort of a past that was far from perfect.

“Let it be clear: good luck alone is not a governance strategy,” he said.

Oladejo alleged that the Jonathan administration, from 2010 to 2015, left behind a country grappling with severe structural weaknesses, from unchecked corruption to alarming insecurity and economic inertia.

“While some may look back on those years with rose-tinted glasses, we must remind ourselves that nostalgia is not a policy platform.

“Emotion cannot drive economic reform, and sentimentality will not fix power generation, insecurity, youth unemployment, or education sector decay,” the APC chieftain said.

Oladejo said that the party also noted the constitutional and political complications of a potential Jonathan candidacy.

According to him, having completed more than one term in office, any return bid will inevitably trigger legal contention and political instability — distractions Nigeria cannot afford in a time when decisive action is needed across all sectors of national life.

“Moreover, the former president’s political relevance has been complicated by his recent engagements across party lines.

“His flirtation with the APC and absence from PDP’s strategic rebuilding efforts raise questions about his loyalty, clarity of vision, and political intentions,” he said.

According to him, the APC remains focused on consolidating progress, implementing reforms, and engaging the Nigerian electorate with fresh ideas and credible candidates who reflect the aspirations of a dynamic, youthful population.

“We believe the future of Nigeria does not lie in recycled leadership but in visionary governance rooted in integrity, innovation, and resilience.

“Former President Jonathan remains a respected elder statesman. His legacy as a peaceful democrat is assured. But legacies are not manifestoes, and nostalgia is not governance.

“We urge Nigerians to reject emotional shortcuts and stay focused on the need for capable, accountable and transformative leadership.

“As 2027 approaches, let us not reach backwards in desperation, but move forward with courage and clarity,” Oladejo said.

Politics

Marafa’s Loyalists Quit APC, Cite Neglect Of Zamfara

Published

1 day ago

August 29, 2025

Editor

Supporters of former Zamfara Central Senator, Kabiru Marafa, have announced their resignation from the All Progressives Congress, citing what they described as injustice, marginalisation and deliberate neglect of the state by the ruling party and President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The group, operating under the aegis of the Senator Kabiru Marafa Consultative Forum, met in Kaduna on Wednesday and Thursday, August 27 and 28, 2025, to deliberate on the worsening political, security and developmental situation in the state.

At the end of the meeting, the forum issued a communique signed by its chairman, Bashir Mafara, secretary Mannir Tsafe, and seven others, formally announcing their exit from the APC.

The communique partly read, “After broad consultations and critical review of the prevailing circumstances, the political structure of Distinguished Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa OFR, CON across the 147 wards in Zamfara State unanimously resolved as follows:

“The entire structure with all its supporters hereby formally resigns from the All Progressives Congress in protest against the sustained injustice, mistrust, marginalisation, and deliberate neglect of Zamfara State and its people.

“That we shall, in due course, announce our next political direction, guided by the collective interest of the good people of Zamfara State.”

The group expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in the state, pointing to official data and community reports on rising kidnappings and killings.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, hasn’t been able to address the persistent and senseless kidnappings and killings of innocent citizens in Zamfara State, despite the explicit promises made during the 2023 presidential campaign.

“The situation continues to worsen, leaving communities devastated and hopeless,” they said.

The group claimed that reports indicate that out of the 4,722 people kidnapped over one year in Nigeria in 2024, 1,203 are from Zamfara State, followed by Kaduna State with 629.

It added that the Zamfara Circle Community Initiatives reported that 25 villages suffered attacks in one week after the just concluded by-election, with 145 people kidnapped and 21 killed.

The senator’s loyalists also accused the government of politicising insecurity for electoral gains.

On the alleged marginalisation of Zamfara in political appointments and projects, the communique added, “Despite the fact that Zamfara State was one of only two states in the entire North-West geopolitical zone that delivered victory to President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election spearheaded by Distinguished Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa OFR, CON as State Coordinator which the President himself categorically acknowledged during his speech shortly after his declaration as the winner of the 2023 election by INEC, the state has been sidelined in all facets of human developments including protection of lives and properties, infrastructural developments as well as fair representation in political appointments.

“The state was given only a Minister of State, while most states in the Northwest got two slots.

“But more unfair is the allocation given to the Southwest that corners the entire financial sector, with some states getting multiple ministerial slots and countless agencies.

“For example, Lagos state, where President Tinubu lost the election, has enjoyed overwhelming patronage in terms of appointments and developmental projects, underscoring the deliberate marginalisation of Zamfara state, where Mr. President won.”

The forum concluded by accusing the APC leadership of betraying its founding principles of fairness and justice.

“The above actions and omissions negate the fundamental principles of justice, fairness, equity and accountability upon which the APC was founded.

“Conscience demands that genuine progressives must stand for truth and resist injustice, no matter how uncomfortable,” it said.