Amaechi Slams Tinubu Over Rivers State Crisis, Faults National Assembly
Former Governor of Rivers State and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu over the controversy surrounding the removal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
Amaechi described the move as a gross violation of Nigeria’s constitution.
Speaking at the 9th edition of the Akinjide Adeosun Foundation (AAF) Annual Leadership Discourse, Amaechi attacked the National Assembly, calling it a “weak institution” that enabled the president to act with impunity.
He noted that the breach was not about law, but rather the constitution, which the president broke by removing an elected governor and appointing a military man.
Amaechi argued that Nigeria’s democracy is in jeopardy due to institutional weaknesses and public complacency in the face of executive overreach. He stated that the absence of good governance and rule of law breeds arbitrariness in governance, where government is not by law, but by the whims and caprices of an individual leader.
The former governor also criticized Nigerians for being too docile, saying that passive citizenship has allowed leaders to act without accountability. He emphasized the need for fearless followership, rather than docile followership, to hold leaders accountable.
Amaechi questioned the romanticization of “fearless leadership,” saying that in societies where governance structures function properly, there should be no need for extraordinary courage in leadership. He noted that it is only in failed leadership situations that people look for courageous leaders.
