Rivers Crisis And State Of Emergency: ‘It’s Blatant Abuse Of Power By Three Arms Of Govt’ – Jonathan

….Says government knows the right course of action but deliberately ignoring it
By Adesuwa Tsan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has strongly condemned the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it a blatant abuse of power by all three arms of government.

Speaking in Abuja on Saturday at the Haske Satumari Foundation’s annual colloquium with the theme, “Promoting social change through diversity, equity, diversity and social justice,” Jonathan accused the executive, legislature, and judiciary of failing to uphold due process.

The former president said, “As a former president and someone from the Niger Delta, I was expected to speak on the situation in Rivers State. People don’t realise that former presidents rarely comment on the actions of sitting presidents because of the tension it could create in the country.”

Comparing the situation to an Indian proverb—“If someone is truly asleep, you can wake them up, but if they are pretending to sleep, it is nearly impossible”—Jonathan accused government institutions of knowing the right course of action but deliberately choosing to ignore it.

“The executive, legislature, and judiciary are all aware of the right thing to do, yet they are refusing to act. This is a clear abuse of power across all branches of government,” he said.

Jonathan also linked governance failures to Nigeria’s global reputation, questioning why Nigerian passports are often devalued and why citizens face difficulties at international airports. “People think it’s only because of ‘yahoo’ boys or fraud, but governance decisions also play a role. Investors will not bring money into a country where judicial rulings can be dictated by government officials.”

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He called on public officials to uphold integrity, emphasising that governance decisions affect all citizens. “If we truly want to build a nation where future generations can thrive, we must be willing to do the right thing, even when it is difficult,” he said.

Jonathan also commended the Haske Satumari Foundation for its focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, stressing that societies that embrace these values tend to be more stable and prosperous.

“The theme of this colloquium is important, as we continue to address issues like inequality, social injustice, and marginalisation,” he noted, adding, “During my time as president, I appointed more women into office than any other administration because inclusivity is critical for progress.”

He concluded by urging Nigerians to remain committed to social change, citing the national anthem’s call for a just and fair society.

Governors of Plateau, Adamawa, and Niger States also presented goodwill messages at the event, which had many high-profile dignitaries in attendance.

In his goodwill message, the Governor of Adamawa State, Mr Ahmadu Fintiri, who was represented by Sen. Amos Yohanna, emphasised the importance of social justice in national development.

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He stated, “Let me say that any nation that puts social justice to the background shall not experience peace. And if we want to grow as a nation and experience stability and peace, we must bring everybody together and treat everybody with the principle of social justice and inclusivity because that is the only way to build a nation and that is the principle of the rule of law. That there is nobody above the law. That means every segment of society must be treated with dignity because we all are creatures of God.”

Mother of the day, former Minister of Women Affairs, Maryam Inna Ciroma, urged the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make his government more inclusive and diverse to give a sense of belonging to all Nigerians, especially women.

She said, “This is about inclusivity, it is about equity, it is about justice and this is what our former president (Jonathan) stood for, especially Nigerian women. He implemented the 35% affirmative action that we Nigerian women have been fighting for and honestly we thought and believed that the president coming after you would continue but what have we witnessed? It has gone down completely.”

Similarly, the Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, represented by the acting Vice Chancellor of Plateau State University, Prof. Shadrach Best, in his keynote address, assured that he, as a product of inclusivity, cannot but ensure that he supports, affirms, promotes, and enhances equity, diversity, and inclusivity in the state.

“As a state and as a people, we have so much in our experience as a people. Not only are we a collection of ethnic minorities, but historically, even colonialism found us in a space that was difficult to define.”

He recalled that though President Jonathan had imposed a state of emergency in his state, he upheld the powers of the governor at the time by not removing him from power. He also commended him for specifically demanding that a female nominee be sent to replace another nominee who was rejected, in a bid to ensure affirmative action is promoted.

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The second keynote speaker, a visually impaired parliamentarian from Kenya, Sen. Crystal Asige, criticised African leaders for lacking the political will to implement laws for the vulnerable people in society, thereby limiting their possibilities.

She said, “In Nigeria and Kenya alike, despite policies aimed at improving education, implementation remains weak with most schools lacking the facilities to accommodate students with disabilities. Special needs programmes are spectacularly misunderstood and underfunded while mainstream schools are ill-equipped to accommodate people with disabilities. We also face significant alienation in the job market.”

The lawmaker also listed challenges in healthcare, such as inaccessible structures, poorly trained medical personnel on dealing with special needs patients, social welfare assistance, exclusion from political and other leadership participation, among others. She urged the government to ensure that strict monitoring mechanisms are put in place to ensure that existing laws and policies are implemented, while new ones are enacted to address areas that have been omitted.

On his part, Governor of Niger State, Hon. Mohammed Bago, called for more efforts to ensure that equal opportunities are available to all. He added that his administration is committed to policies that promote inclusion, diversity, and equity for all.

While calling for barriers that hinder progress for the vulnerable in society to be addressed, he said, “Representation alone is not enough. We must ensure that everyone regardless of their background has opportunity to thrive and contribute to society,” he stated.

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