Simon Kolawole, a renowned Nigerian political analyst, has expressed his views on the recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.
Kolawole, who has been closely following Nigeria’s political landscape for years, underscores the fact that politics in the country is often driven by power dynamics rather than ideology.
Kolawole recalls how Tinubu, in 2004, condemned President Olusegun Obasanjo’s decision to suspend Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State, calling it unconstitutional.
This criticism, Kolawole points out, now seems ironic in light of Tinubu’s own actions in Rivers State, where he recently suspended Governor Simi Fubara after a confrontation with political rival, Chief Nyesom Wike.
Kolawole argues that while the state of emergency in Rivers is being presented as a necessary measure to resolve political tensions, it is ultimately about power and control.
In his analysis, Kolawole reflects on his earlier political awakening in 2006, when he became disillusioned with the notion that Nigerian politics is a battle between the good and the bad.
He notes that the political party alliances that arose over the years, such as the formation of the All Progressives Congress in 2013, were simply moves to wrest power from the People’s Democratic Party .
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However, the rhetoric of “saving Nigeria from dictatorship” has now become a tool wielded by both sides to justify their actions.
In his analysis, Kolawole acknowledges that both Fubara and Wike have contributed to the current crisis but emphasizes that the federal government’s intervention in the form of an emergency rule is a reflection of political maneuvering rather than a genuine effort to resolve the issues facing Rivers State.
He believes that politics in Nigeria is often more about maintaining control and influence rather than principles or the welfare of the people.
Kolawole concludes by stating that the recent events in Rivers are emblematic of the political gamesmanship that has come to define Nigerian politics.
The declaration of emergency rule, in his view, is another example of how the same tactics that were once criticized are now being employed by those in power.
Crediblenewsng.com
