Dele Momodu, the publisher of Ovation Magazine, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu “not to kill democracy in Nigeria”.
Speaking in an interview with Channels Television on Monday, Momodu said he and other individuals “who fought for democracy” during the military era were “very embarrassed” that Tinubu suspended Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers state, and the state house of assembly.
Momodu, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said Nigeria is currently “descending into dictatorship” under Tinubu.
He accused Tinubu of attempting to intimidate governors and opposition leaders to get their support for his re-election bid in 2027.
“I think it is very unfortunate. I know President Tinubu very well. Though I’ve not been in the same party with him and all that, we were together in exile, and he fought gallantly for this democracy,” he said
“A lot of us, his co-comrades at that time, are actually very embarrassed that we have a pro-democracy leader in government, and yet, what we are witnessing is worse than dictatorship.
“I have said it openly so many times in many open letters: you can fail in the economy, no problem; people will forgive you and say you’re not a professor of economics. You can fail in other areas, but don’t fail in democracy.
“You must deepen our democracy, which President Goodluck Jonathan succeeded in doing, which Baba Obasanjo succeeded in doing, despite allegations and accusations of a third term attempt, still managed to hand over power to President Yar’Adua.
“It is less than two years into this government, and we are witnessing crisis upon crisis, just because some people want a second term.
I’m pleading with President Bola Tinubu, ‘please don’t kill democracy in Nigeria’. Everybody who loves him will tell him this. I’ve not asked him for anything, but we love him for his contributions to democracy in the past, which is now going down the drain.
“What I see now is an attempt to force all governors in Nigeria to follow him by fire and force. It is wrong.”
On March 18, Tinubu declared emergency rule in Rivers following the political crisis in the state.
He also suspended Fubara as governor of the state; Ngozi Odu, the deputy governor; and all members of the Rivers assembly for an initial period of six months.
The president had appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired naval chief, as the state’s sole administrator.
