Former President Goodluck Jonathan has strongly condemned Nigeria’s political leadership, accusing key figures across the executive, legislature, and judiciary of engaging in rampant abuse of power capable of spooking investors.
His remarks come amid the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State, where President Bola Tinubu recently declared a six-month state of emergency, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Jonathan, speaking at the annual colloquium of the Haske Satumari Foundation in Abuja on Saturday, lamented that public officials, despite knowing the right course of action, were deliberately ignoring it. While he did not directly mention Tinubu, his remarks underscored his concerns over governance failures and institutional decay.
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Background: Rivers State Crisis and Tinubu’s Emergency Declaration
The crisis in Rivers State began as a political standoff between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. The conflict intensified over control of the state’s political structure, leading to a deepening rift between factions loyal to both politicians.
In late 2023, the situation escalated when 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a move widely seen as orchestrated by Wike to weaken Fubara’s grip on power. The defection sparked constitutional questions, as legal experts debated whether the lawmakers had lost their seats, as stipulated by Nigerian law.
The assembly has remained non-functional for 14 months, effectively shutting down legislative governance in the state.
Attempts to mediate the crisis failed, including interventions by well-meaning Nigerians and stakeholders. On February 28, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that the governor had acted unconstitutionally by rendering the legislature powerless, stating that “a government cannot be said to exist without one of the three arms that make up the government of a state.”
The court upheld that the 27 defected lawmakers were still valid members of the House of Assembly, dismissing any attempt to exclude them. However, the ruling failed to restore order as the political gridlock persisted.
By early 2024, the political impasse had led to violence threats. In recent days, attacks on oil infrastructure stirred further concern, with multiple oil pipelines being vandalized between Monday and Tuesday, prompting an urgent response from the federal government.
Against the backdrop of growing insecurity, President Tinubu stepped in. In a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, Tinubu declared a state of emergency, citing threats to public order and governance breakdown in the state.
The emergency measures included:
- The suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu.
- The dissolution of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
- The appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd) as the state’s interim administrator.
- Increased security presence to curb unrest.
The decision has been met with criticism, with legal experts questioning its constitutionality. Many argue that the Nigerian Constitution does not grant the President the power to unilaterally suspend an elected governor or dissolve a state legislature without approval from the National Assembly.
Against this backdrop, Jonathan expressed dismay over the erosion of democratic institutions in Nigeria. He compared the situation to an Indian proverb, stating: “The situation in Rivers State reminds me of an Indian proverb: If somebody is truly asleep, you can wake them up easily. But if they are only pretending to sleep, waking them up becomes impossible.
He suggested that Nigeria’s leaders were intentionally ignoring their constitutional responsibilities.
“The key actors in Nigeria—the executives, the legislature, and the judiciary—know the right thing to do, but they are refusing to do it. They are pretending to sleep. Waking such people is extremely difficult, but they know the right thing,” Jonathan said.
He went further to accuse government officials of engaging in “clear abuse of offices, clear abuse of power, and clear abuse of privileges” across all three arms of government.
Jonathan also lamented the state of Nigeria’s judiciary, warning that its compromised integrity was scaring away investors and damaging the country’s international reputation.
“No businessman can bring his money to invest in a country where the judiciary is compromised, where a government functionary can dictate to judges what judgment they will give. No man brings his money to invest in that economy because we are taking a big risk. So whatever we do affects everybody,” he warned.
Concerns Over Nigeria’s Global Standing
The former president pointed out that Nigeria’s poor governance has resulted in the country losing respect on the international stage.
“I have been a President before, and even after leaving office, people approach me with concerns. They ask: ‘Why is our passport not valued as much? Why are Nigerians not given the kind of treatment we deserve at international airports?’”
According to Jonathan, these issues stem from the perception that Nigeria is not governed by the rule of law, making foreign governments and investors wary of dealing with the country.
He emphasized that sustainable progress requires a collective commitment from all government officials—executive, legislative, and judicial—to act with integrity and fairness.
“If we want to build a nation where our children and our grandchildren, no matter how painful it is, we must strive to do what is right. It may cost us, but we must endeavor and pay the price to insist on doing what is right,” he said.
Jonathan urged government officials to prioritize national interest over personal gain.
“Whether you are holding an executive office as a president, a minister, governor, or special advisor, whether you are holding an office in the parliament, senate, or rep, whether you are a judicial officer in high courts or appellate courts, we must strive to do what is right. If we want to build a nation that our children will be proud of,” he said.
Haske Satumari Foundation’s Stand on Governance Failures
The Haske Satumari Foundation, which organized the colloquium, highlighted systemic inequalities and the urgent need for inclusive governance. The foundation’s founder, Kudla Satumari, stressed that the demand for equity was not about entitlement but about ensuring fairness in governance.
“Our agitation for equity is not to give to people to feel that they are entitled, but we want people that deserve to be heard and included in the processes so that we have a fair, equitable, and just society,” Satumari said.
Other speakers at the event emphasized that when public officials fail to uphold democratic principles consistently, the nation’s institutions and future prosperity are put at risk.