April 25, (THEWILL) – A former minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has berated the National Assembly, describing it as a “very weak institution” complicit in enabling what he referred to as an illegal imposition of power in Rivers State.
President Bola Tinubu, had on March 18, suspended Governor Fubara and his deputy alongside the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months and appointed Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (rtd) as Administrator in charge of the state.
Speaking on Thursday, at the 9th Edition of the Akinjide Adeosun Foundation (AAF) Annual Leadership Discourse in Lagos, Amaechi, a former Rivers governor, accused the President of violating Nigeria’s Constitution by removing Governor Siminalayi Fubara and declaring an unconstitutional state of emergency in the State.
He urged Nigerians to actively respond to poor governance, stating that public passivity enables bad leadership.
He said, “What is even more alarming is that the breach in the situation is not even about law. The constitution of a country is the Bible of that country. And its sanctity must be protected.
“Can we say the same in Nigeria? Obviously, the response would be a resounding no. The president looked at the whole of Nigeria and removed an elected governor in Rivers State and appointed a military man, yet the country continued. Nothing happened.
“Do you agree that there is nothing like a fearless leader and there is nothing like courageous leadership? Do you (Nigerians) need a courageous leader where the system works? Just push the button, and everything will give you the answer. It is only when there is a failed leadership that you begin to look at who is the courageous leader. There are different types of leadership traits, and fearless leadership is not one of them. There is the authoritarian leadership trait, which is one who knows it all. Such leaders tell you what to do without consulting and expect you to obey.
“You can either have a fearless followership or a docile followership. Does Nigeria resonate here as per the docility of followership? Does it resonate here? Yes. Good governance is about constitutionality and the rule of law. It is also about the concept of the separation of powers. The absence of good governance and the rule of law breeds arbitrariness in governance. Arbitrariness here has to do with the non-observance of the basic principles of law.
“For a governor or a president, who subscribes to such a concept, it is what he or she does that is law. It is not what is in the book that is the law. There is also the non-observance of the basic principles of law. This is where government is not by law, but by the whims and caprices of an individual leader, like the current pronouncement of an illegal and unconstitutional state of emergency in Rivers State, aided by weak institutions like the National Assembly, which is very weak.”
On his part, the 2015 governorship candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos, Jimi Agbaje, said only an enabling environment would foster fearless leaders in Nigeria.
Recalling the defection of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to the All Progressives Congress, he said, “Something happened yesterday where a whole state apparatus decided to leave their party for another. Is that fearless or fearful leadership? When you speak truth to power and your wife says: ‘small small, what is going to happen to us?’ What kind of environment are we creating to have fearless leaders?
“If I speak truth to power, my wife should know that in the worst case scenario, the children will go to school and that there will be health for them if they fall ill, not a situation where if you speak truth to power, health and education benefits would be withdrawn from your family.
“Sometimes, it is an enabling environment that would help us in bringing about fearless leaders. If you look at developed countries where they speak out, it is because they know that they will survive no matter what they say.”
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
