Magnus Abe defends state of emergency in Rivers, says governance became impossible
On Friday, March 21, Senator Magnus Abe, former governorship candidate for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Rivers State, defended the declaration of a state of emergency by President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, Abe explained that the situation in Rivers had reached a point where governance had become nearly impossible, making the emergency rule necessary.
“This situation in Rivers had reached a stalemate, rendering government operations nearly impossible,” Abe said during the interview.
His remarks came after the House of Representatives and the Senate approved President Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in Rivers, despite strong opposition from many Nigerians.
Abe further justified the decision, stating: “In a democratic state like Nigeria, various types of emergencies can arise. According to our laws, appropriation is the responsibility of elected representatives, and without it, disbursement is impossible.”
He argued that the current crisis in Rivers had made it difficult to manage government affairs, which led to the need for emergency intervention.
