A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dele Momodu, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing it as “anti-democratic”.
In a move that was greeted with backlash, Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months in addition to the state of emergency owing to the political crisis in the oil-rich state.
Momodu, who was featured as a guest on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, joined the long list of personalities across the country to fault the president’s decision.
“I think it is very unfortunate. I know President Tinubu very, very, very well. Though I’ve not been in the same party [with him] and all that, we were together in exile, and he fought gallantly for this democracy. So a lot of us, co-comrades at that time, are actually very embarrassed that we have a pro-democracy leader in government, and yet what we are witnessing is worse than dictatorship,” he said on Monday.
“I’m pleading with President Bola Tinubu, ‘Please don’t kill democracy in Nigeria.’ Everybody who loves him will tell him this. I don’t; I’ve not asked him for anything or anything, but we love him for his contributions to the motivation in the back, which is what is going down the drain,” Momodu said.
The PDP chieftain accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of intimidating the opposition, warning him to “watch your back”.
“I’m saying it now openly to millions of Nigerians that people are deceiving President Tinubu, and he should not allow people to deceive you,” he said on the show.
“He should just do his job. The only thing that can guarantee a second time is to do your job well. You do not need to intimidate anybody.”
