Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has alleged that the ongoing feud between the suspended governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and his predecessor, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is centered on money sharing.
Amaechi made these claims during an interview with DW Africa on Saturday, where he also condemned the emergency rule imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu, calling it unconstitutional and a threat to democracy.
“The fight between the current governor of Rivers State and the FCT minister is about sharing money. If not, what is the quarrel? Nigerians don’t dislike corruption anymore. I’ve not seen anybody on the street querying what the problem is. Can both of them speak to the public and tell us what the problem is?” Amaechi stated.
The former governor further lamented what he described as a lack of democracy in Rivers State, asserting that military rule had effectively been imposed.
READ ALSO: Tinubu Speaks On Rivers Emergency Rule, Lauds National Assembly
“We are now denied democracy. Rivers State is the only state in the country currently not enjoying democracy. They have imposed military rule on us,” he said.
Amaechi also criticized President Tinubu’s role in the crisis, suggesting that the president was acting outside constitutional provisions to consolidate political power ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The president acted outside the Constitution. Section 188 states how a governor can leave office—either by death, resignation, or impeachment. It didn’t say that one day you wake up and a man called the president of Nigeria will throw you out of office. This makes democracy unstable.”
He further alleged that Tinubu’s actions signaled a broader strategy to undermine governors who may not align with him politically.
READ ALSO: Emergency Rule: Fubara Denies Links With Militants
“Rumours are everywhere that if any governor is not careful, the president will remove you. So the Rivers issue is about sharing money and 2027 politics,” Amaechi added.
Addressing the rationale behind the emergency rule, Amaechi questioned why Rivers State was singled out despite widespread insecurity across the country.
“If the President said that the pipe that exploded was the reason why he tagged Rivers unstable and insecure by declaring a state of emergency, what about the other parts of the country where there is insecurity? Is the President saying that they should impose an emergency rule on him? They can’t because he is a democratically elected President. There are insecurity issues in the North East, North West, South East, and South South.”
He insisted that security matters fall under the president’s purview and that the Rivers governor should not be penalized for an incident beyond his control.
“The fact has no responsibility for the blown pipe in Rivers. Security responsibility rests solely on the President. Why punish a man who did not commit any offense?”
Amaechi urged the people of Rivers State to resist the emergency rule and called for protests against the president’s decision.