₦airaland Forum

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.

CodeTemplarr:
No, he used demolition as initial excuse then realized his claim about Fubara not reconstructing one was false so hurridly cooked up something with pipeline attacks and pinned on Fubara.

Tochitee:
Ok ipob ! Na wetin Una discuss yesterday from Una ummuna meeting be this Abi?

tundegan:
PANDEF should respect the president's decision.

This is not the time for politics, they should see it as a way to protect the people of Rivers state.

tundegan:
PANDEF should respect the president's decision.

This is not the time for politics, they should see it as a way to protect the people of Rivers state.

tundegan:
PANDEF should respect the president's decision.

This is not the time for politics, they should see it as a way to protect the people of Rivers state.

Islie:
•says political motive behind state takeover



https://tribuneonlineng.com/rivers-tinubu-used-pipeline-attack-as-pretext-for-emergency-rule-pandef/

CodeTemplarr:
No, he used demolition as initial excuse then realized his claim about Fubara not reconstructing one was false so hurridly cooked up something with pipeline attacks and pinned on Fubara.

spencekat:
Tinubu is a dictator.

chisomkachy:
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has withdrawn the alleged money laundering suit it filed at the Federal High Court against Lagos Speaker Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa.

Naija News understands that the anti-graft did not give any particular reason for its application for withdrawal.

Following the application to withdraw, Justice Nicholas Oweibo discharged the ‘lien/Post No Debit’ placed on Obasa’s three accounts in Standard Chartered Bank.

The accounts are (US Dollars) 0001852063; (Current) 0001852056 and (Saving) 5002309624.

The judge also set aside the ex-parte orders he made on September 15, 2020, which led to the freezing of the accounts.

Recall that the court on September 15, 2020, granted an interim order freezing Obasa’s accounts following the EFCC’s application in a suit marked FHC/LCS/1064/2020.

The agency had said it was investigating the Speaker for the alleged offences of conspiracy, diversion of funds, abuse of office and money laundering.

But Justice Oweibo, on August 16, 2023, heard the application to unfreeze the accounts in his chamber.

During the hearing, the EFCC was represented by Mr. Sulaiman I. Sulaiman, while Obasa was represented by Mr. Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN).

The EFCC lawyer told the court that the application to unfreeze the accounts was pursuant to Section 44(2)(K) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Sections 26, 29 and 34 (1) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004, and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

Section 44 of the Constitution concerns constitutional rights to property.

Justice Oweibo held: “It is hereby ordered that an order is hereby granted to the respondent/applicant setting aside the ex-parte orders of this court made on the 15th day of September 2020 upon the ex-parte motion of the Applicant/ Respondent in relation the funds of the Respondent/Applicant domiciled in the accounts stated in the following schedule:

“ACCOUNT NAME, FINANCIAL ACCOUNT INSTITUTIONS, TYPE OF ACCOUNT, 1. Mudasiru Ajayi Obasa, Standard Chartered, (US Dollars) 0001852063 2. Mudasiru Ajayi Obasa, Standard Chartered (Current) 0001852056 3. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, Standard Chartered (Saving) 5002309624.

“Issued at Lagos, under the seal of this Honourable Court and by the hands of the Presiding Judge this 16th day of August 2023.”

https://dailytimesng.com/obasa-efcc-withdraws-suit/

Previous Threads:
https://www.nairaland.com/5877642/obasa-64-bank-accounts-linked#89878603

https://wap.nairaland.com/6167844/lagos-assembly-speaker-obasa-efcc#94728150

https://www.nairaland.com/6168612/obasa-court-orders-efcc-freeze#94741534

Maxymilliano:
Is this the same Pandef that had a closed door meeting with Tinubu recently or another faction

Enemyofpeace:
This will favour me and my family in Jesus name

Glimpsetv:
A large crowd of Lagosians was filmed in a long queue struggling to collect a loaf of bread. To maintain order, several military personnel were on the ground to control the crowd. This has triggered a lot of reactions online.

Watch the video, share your thoughts in the comments.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYltMapDyIo?si=0-hO0Vt5C9uBxVd1