By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has strongly condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, accusing him of using recent pipeline attacks as a pretext to unseat Governor Siminalayi Fubara and impose federal control over the oil-rich state.
In a communiqué issued after an emergency meeting of its Board of Trustees and expanded National Executive Committee on Wednesday, PANDEF described the president’s actions as a “betrayal” of the Niger Delta people and an unjustifiable assault on democratic governance.
PANDEF rejected Tinubu’s justification for the emergency rule, which cited a blown-up pipeline as a security threat.
The group argued that pipeline attacks have occurred in various parts of the country, including under Tinubu’s administration, without leading to military intervention or emergency declarations.
“Many Nigerian states, particularly in the North-East, North-West, and North-Central, experience daily assaults on their very existence. Yet, no state of emergency has been declared,” PANDEF said, questioning the selective nature of the president’s decision.
The forum also criticised the immediate militarization of Rivers State, noting that security forces had not even conducted a full investigation into the cause of the pipeline explosion before the emergency rule was imposed.
According to PANDEF, the declaration of emergency came just days after Governor Fubara had complied with the Supreme Court’s ruling and the president’s directive to present the 2025 state budget to the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The group highlighted that the Assembly had instead gone on an indefinite adjournment, only to initiate impeachment proceedings against the governor shortly afterwards.
“This sequence of events raises serious doubts about the true intent of the emergency rule,” PANDEF stated, suggesting that the move was orchestrated to sideline Fubara and consolidate power in favour of political interests aligned with the federal government.
The group also referenced President Tinubu’s past stance against state of emergency declarations, particularly his criticism of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s similar action in 2013.
At the time, Tinubu had accused Jonathan’s government of using emergency rule to “muzzle elected governments” and push partisan agendas – an accusation PANDEF now directs at the current administration.
PANDEF called on the National Assembly, led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, to reject what it termed an “onslaught on democratic governance.”
“The legislature must show courage and stand on the side of truth by rejecting this unprecedented and brazen action,” the communiqué read.
Despite its strong condemnation, PANDEF reiterated its commitment to seeking a peaceful resolution to the crisis and vowed to explore all constitutional remedies to challenge the emergency rule in Rivers State.