Jonathan Is Behind Rivers Crisis - Tinubu

Former governor of Lagos state and leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Ahmed Tinubu, said Sunday he was ready to face a truth he claimed many were afraid of: that President Goodluck Jonathan was behind the crisis rocking Rivers state House of Assembly.

“The PDP and the presidency were quick to disavow any involvement,” he said of the violence that erupted in that assembly last week. “However, we all know the truth but most are afraid to speak. I shall speak. There is no way the police and the small number of five lawmakers would act so brazenly unless they receive instructions for their high places.”

Despite denials from the presidency, many Nigerians have continued to place on President Jonathan, the responsibility for the crisis in Rivers state, where an attempt by five lawmakers to remove the speaker against the wishes of 27, resulted in a free-for-all on Wednesday.

While the 27 lawmakers back Governor Chibuike Amaechi, who is enmeshed in a prolonged faceoff with President Jonathan, the remaining five, led by Evans Bipi, a relative of First Lady, Patience Jonathan, are said to be in support of the president.

At least four lawmakers were injured in the violence that followed the impeachment attempt.

The presidency only issued a disclaimer days after as a swelling public opinion placed the responsibility for the incident on Mr. Jonathan and his wife.

Mr. Tinubu, a known critic of the president, said all indicators were clear for a safe conclusion that the president manipulated the events that day.

“Nigerians must ask, ‘Is this the way the President Jonathan intends to transform Nigeria? By turning it from an imperfect democracy into a perfect mess. A total lack of respect for constitutional democracy is what we are witnessing,’” he said.

“In what stable and functioning democracy can you find a President or his agents bully a governor this way or violate the federal constitution so openly with complete impunity?”

The former governor tasked other leaders to defend the Rivers state governor and deplored the alleged role of the police to stop the unrest.

“All this occurred under the watchful eye but idle hand of the police officers deployed to guard the chamber. We can say the police in Rivers became an accomplice to an illegal attack on the very government and constitution they pledged to uphold. This was a shameful moment but even worse it is a likely foretaste of the partisan role the police will take incoming elections,” he said.

“The PDP appears to have added public brawling to its list of accomplishments. The self-proclaimed largest party in Africa has turned into a fight club that employs the police as ushers for its matches.”

The ACN leader said the incident was hardly surprising as it was clear Mr. Amaechi had long been “marked” by the powers that be since his stance on the contentious border dispute between Bayelsa and Rivers state over oil wells.

“Discerning minds must locate the present crisis in the suspected injustice in the Bayelsa and Rivers State oil boundary legal battle,” he said.

“For standing up in defence of the interest of his people, Governor Amaechi became a marked person. The irreconcilable political differences between main actors in Rivers State soon magnified the crisis with heavy lifting from the presidency.”