Onyeche Wofurum Igwe
Senator Seriake Dickson has expressed strong disappointment and objections to President Bola Tinubu’s silence on the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State during his Democracy Day speech.
In an interview on Thursday, Dickson questioned the timing of the president’s communication to the National Assembly regarding Rivers State, noting it was inappropriate to do so on Democracy Day.
He described the actions taken in Rivers State as “undemocratic, unconstitutional, and illegal” and expressed dismay that the president chose to endorse these actions on a day meant to celebrate democracy.
The former governor of Bayelsa State emphasized that words alone do not demonstrate democratic commitment, but rather actions do, pointing out the inconsistency between President Tinubu’s speech and the situation in Rivers State.
Dickson criticized the president for missing a golden opportunity to raise and deepen democracy in Nigeria by restoring democratic and normal civil constitutional rule in Rivers State on Democracy Day, expressing disappointment that the president remained silent about the undemocratic developments in Rivers State, which he believes the president has enabled and sanctioned.
The senator stressed that the issue is not about the nationality or party affiliation of Governor Siminalayi Fubara but about respecting and upholding democratic rights under the constitution and laws.
Dickson warned that as long as any part of Nigeria is under “military rule,” democracy is endangered nationwide, urging Nigerians to stand in defense of democracy and ensure that the country’s democratic institutions are protected.
He said: “The president missed a golden opportunity to raise and deepen democracy in Nigeria by restoring, on today’s Democracy Day, democratic and normal civil constitutional rule in Rivers State.”
“Of all the things the president said, the president was silent about Rivers State. And today is about democracy. Today is not about repression. Today is not about suppression of the views of the people of Rivers State. Today is about respecting and upholding the democratic rights under the constitution and the laws.”
“So I’m disappointed, firstly, that the president never said a word about the undemocratic developments in Rivers State, which he has enabled, which he has brought about, which he has sanctioned, and which he continues to sustain and creating an impression as if all is well, No, as long as any part of nigeria is under military rule, democracy is endangered in nigeria as a whole.”
