Governor of Rivers State Siminalayi Fubara, has remained in his residence in Port Harcourt, hours after the president declared a state of emergency, which effectively suspended him and other elected officials from office
A source close to the governor said he has maintained a quiet demeanor since the President’s action.
“Governor Siminalayi Fubara is still at his residence looking calm in the company of friends and other political leaders in the state”.
It was also learnt that movement into and out of the Government House is under restriction with no vehicles allowed to go out.
“The situation is reminiscent of a military coup with armed soldiers taking control of all the gates and entry points into the government house, while operatives of the State Security Service have taken over security within the government house”.
Similar heightened security presence has been reported on the streets of Port Harcourt
Meanwhile the situation in other parts of the state remain tense as another explosion is said to have occurred on a gas pipeline in Ndoni area of Rivers State.
This comes barely 24-hours after a similar explosion in Gokana local Government Area
President Bola Tinubu had anchored his decision to declare a state of emergency on security reports that showed that “there have been disturbing incidents of vandalizaitin of pipelines by some militants without the governor taking any action to curtail them”
Criticisms are already trailing the president’s decision which is awaiting the endorsement of the National Assembly
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who is considered the leader of the opposition PDP, Fubara’s party, has described the move as “political manipulation and outright bad faith”.
Atiku instead blamed the president for allowing the situation to escalate. “Anyone paying attention to the unfolding crisis knows that Bola Tinubu has been a vested partisan actor in the political turmoil engulfing Rivers. His blatant refusal — or calculated negligence — in preventing this escalation is nothing short of disgraceful”
Editor: Anoyoyo Ogiagboviogie
