Nigerian actress Hilda Dokubo has voiced her outrage over President Bola Tinubu’s decision to suspend the governor of Rivers State and declare a state of emergency.
Taking to Instagram on March 18, 2025, Dokubo criticized the move, calling it a deliberate attempt to “capture the economic soul of Rivers State.”
Expressing her frustration, she wrote:
“State of emergency because for two years we have had peace! State of emergency because you want to capture the economic soul of Rivers State! State of emergency because of one man? Shameless! Perhaps Mr. President should say he wants to annex Rivers State!”
Her reaction comes after Tinubu, in a nationwide broadcast earlier that evening, announced the six-month suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Citing Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, President Tinubu justified his decision, stating that it was necessary to restore order and prevent further escalation of the crisis.
“We cannot afford to let political instability threaten the peace and governance of Rivers State,” he declared.
President Tinubu’s decision was met with widespread disapproval from Nigerians, both in Rivers State and beyond, with many calling the action unconstitutional.
See reactions below:
- “The state of emergency was way too much. He could have called Fubara and Wike. He reversed democratic and legal decisions of lawmakers in Lagos to reinstate an impeached speaker without declaring a state of emergency. So why such an act in Rivers State? Politics in Nigeria is just somehow.”
- “This is one of the reasons why we support the corps member’s assertion. A terrible government.”
- “As expected of his regime, I’m not surprised by any of this. It is unconstitutional and illegal to suspend a democratically elected governor. Of all the states of emergency declared in Nigeria, where has a governor ever been suspended? If there is an issue of insecurity, isn’t it the president’s responsibility to restore order? How does suspending the governor bring peace? It is sad that this is happening in 2025 and in a democracy. We expect the Senate to correct this anomaly and blunder by the president.”
