Akande argued that Tinubu, during his time as Lagos State governor from 1999 to 2007, would have immediately challenged such a decision in the Supreme Court.
Laolu Akande, former spokesperson for ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has criticised Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara for failing to take swift legal action against his suspension by President Bola Tinubu.
Akande argued that Tinubu, during his time as Lagos State governor from 1999 to 2007, would have immediately challenged such a decision in the Supreme Court.
He recalled how Tinubu, while in the opposition, strongly resisted the seizure of local government funds by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He lamented that Fubara lacked the courage to take the legal route himself and instead waited for seven governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to challenge the suspension before the Supreme Court.
While featuring on a Channels Television programme, Akande said, “It’s a good move what the PDP governors have done. They probably would be able to save the day. But I’m surprised that Governor Fubara himself is sitting down.
“If somebody did this to Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he was governor of Lagos, do you know what he would be doing?”
Akande further emphasised that an elected president does not have the legal authority to suspend an elected governor, describing the situation as unconstitutional.
He said, “The first thing Governor Fubara ought to do if he knew what he was doing was to go to court.
“And to tell his people that what has happened in Rivers State is against the law, but he couldn’t find the courage.”
The political crisis in Rivers State has been ongoing for two years, primarily between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
Wike, though a member of the opposition PDP, currently serves as Tinubu’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Their power struggle has left the state’s governance in turmoil.
In a nationwide broadcast on March 18, 2025, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial six-month period.
Citing Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, Tinubu justified his decision by stating that the escalating political crisis necessitated intervention.
Following this move, the president appointed retired naval officer Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas as the sole administrator of the state.
Within 48 hours, the National Assembly approved the emergency rule, sparking widespread backlash from pro-democracy groups, legal experts, and opposition figures.
Prominent figures including human rights lawyer Mr Femi Falana (SAN) and others such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi and Atedo Peterside have condemned the suspension as undemocratic.
Also, legal and civil society groups including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), and opposition parties, including the Labour Party (LP) and the PDP, have rejected the move, calling it a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.