Senator Ndume Urges Tinubu to Declare State of Emergency on Security and Economy, Criticises Rivers Crisis Approach

Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South in the Nigerian Senate, has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently declare a state of emergency in Nigeria’s security and economic sectors, warning that the nation is edging closer to a deeper crisis if swift, decisive action isn’t taken.

Ndume made the appeal on Friday during an interview with Channels Television, where he also took aim at the President’s recent decision to impose a state of emergency in Rivers State due to ongoing political unrest.

“Let the President forget about everything and concentrate on three things – security, welfare of citizens, and economy,” Ndume said.“His attention should go there as number one. Then he should create a state of emergency in those areas.”

His remarks echo a growing wave of public and legislative frustration as Nigeria grapples with worsening inflation, a weakening naira, persistent insecurity in the North and other regions, and eroding public confidence in leadership.

Ndume criticised the Rivers State emergency declaration, arguing it should have been resolved through dialogue, not constitutional suspension.

Identifying himself as “a democrat,” the senator said he was shocked by President Tinubu’s March 18 proclamation, which suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all state assembly members for six months in the oil-rich state.

President Tinubu had cited Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution — which permits the suspension of normal constitutional processes in times of internal disorder — to justify his action, appointing retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) as interim administrator of the state.

But Ndume challenged both the necessity and timing of the move.“I feel that the President would have worked seriously on bringing them (the political actors) and solving the problem than (declaring a state of emergency),” he said.“Call them, seat them down and say ‘go and sort your problem.’ How can you ignore the President? When he removed them now, did they ignore the removal?”

He also dismissed claims that political actors in Rivers had disobeyed the President’s directives, noting there was no clear evidence of such defiance.According to Ndume, the ease with which the suspension was carried out contradicts any narrative that the political figures had defied the presidency.

His statement comes amid increasing pressure on the federal government to tackle Nigeria’s internal security challenges and a rapidly declining economy.

Several civil society groups, security experts, and concerned Nigerians have echoed Ndume’s sentiments, urging Tinubu to focus on restoring internal order and pushing forward genuine economic reforms instead of prioritising political strategies.