Former Minister of Transportation and one-time Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has launched a scathing critique of President Bola Tinubu’s handling of the political crisis in Rivers State, accusing the president of breaching Nigeria’s Constitution. He also labeled the National Assembly a “very weak” institution for failing to check what he described as unconstitutional actions.
Speaking at the 9th Akinjide Adeosun Foundation Annual Leadership Discourse in Lagos, themed “Fearless Leadership: A Panacea for Sustainable Development,” Amaechi condemned the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly, calling it a clear case of executive overreach.
“There is the authoritarian leadership trait, which is one who knows it all. Such leaders tell you what to do without consulting and expect you to obey,” Amaechi stated. He argued that the current situation reflects a government run on the whims of an individual rather than the rule of law.
“For a governor or a president, who subscribes to such a concept, it is what he or she does that is law. It is not what is in the book that is the law,” he said. “This is where government is not by law, but by the whims and caprices of an individual leader, like the current pronouncement of an illegal and unconstitutional state of emergency in Rivers State, aided by weak institutions like the National Assembly, which is very weak.”
Amaechi emphasized that what happened in Rivers State was not just a political blunder but a grave constitutional violation. “The president didn’t break any law. He broke the Constitution,” he declared. “Now, this breach of the Constitution is a breach of the sacredness and sanctity of the Constitution.”
Calling the Nigerian Constitution “the Bible of the country,” he lamented what he sees as its diminishing relevance under the current administration. “Its sanctity must be protected. Can we say the same in Nigeria? Obviously, the response would be a resounding no,” he said.
Amaechi accused President Tinubu of acting unilaterally to remove an elected governor and replace him with a military figure. “The president looked at the whole of Nigeria and removed an elected governor in Rivers State and appointed a military man, yet the country continued. Nothing happened.”
He further challenged the notion of fearless leadership as necessary in a properly functioning system. “Do you need a courageous leader where the system works? Just push the button, and everything will give you the answer,” he said. “It is only when there is failed leadership that you begin to look at who is the courageous leader.”
Amaechi concluded by urging Nigerians to abandon passivity and take an active stance against poor governance. “You can either have a fearless followership or a docile followership. Does Nigeria resonate here as per the docility of followership? Yes,” he said. “Docility is an enabler of bad leadership.”
