The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, on Wednesday, fingered the suspended Governor of Rivers State Siminalayi Fubara for being responsible for the political crisis in the oil-rich state.
At a media chat with State House correspondent in Abuja, the AGF said President Bola Tinubu acted timely with his proclamation of emergency rule in Rivers State, the suspension of the governor, and the appointment of a sole administration, Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd).
Fagbemi said Fubara demolished the State House of Assembly Complex to avoid being impeached and refused to rebuild it more than one year later.
The justice minister said Fubara failed to implement the February 28, 2025 ruling of the Supreme Court and did not caution militants who had threatened to blow pipelines in the state. “There was not a word dissuading the militant who issued the threats,” he said.
He said the situation could not have been allowed to continue as the critical economic lifeline of the nation was criminally touched.
Fagbemi also said the emergency rule declaration was some sort of saving grace for Fubara who had been served impeachment notice by pro-Wike lawmakers.
“If that impeachment had been allowed to take its full course, the governor would have entirely lost and completely.
“So, in a way, instead of allowing the impeachment to continue, and which in the end would have seen both the governor and the deputy governor out of office for the entirety of their four-year term with the remainder of what they have — a balance of two years and two months,” the AGF said.
