The Presidency has rejected the African Democratic Congress’s (ADC) criticisms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s handling of the emergency rule in Rivers State.

The Presidency insisted that the intervention restored stability, strengthened democratic institutions, and brought peace to the state.

In a statement posted via his verified X handle, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, called the ADC’s claims of autocracy, manipulation, and erosion of federalism “laughable” and described them as mere “nuisance politics.”

Dare emphasised that the President acted strictly within the constitutional framework, citing Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

According to him, the emergency powers were invoked to prevent bloodshed and safeguard governance amid serious threats to law and order in Rivers State.

The statement reads: “The Presidency dismisses the African Democratic Congress’ (ADC) statement on Rivers State as nothing more than nuisance politics, exposing the pedantry and verbosity of their recent media outings.

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“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is clear: under Section 305, the President has the power — and the duty — to act when law and order are under grave threat.

“The President exercised his powers by invoking the provisions of section 305 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) to prevent bloodshed and restore governance in Rivers State.

“ADC’s claims of ‘autocracy’ and ‘manipulation’ collapse under simple fact. The emergency framework is constitutional, not whimsical. Rivers officials were never reduced to “appointees” — they were shielded from chaos and reinstated once order returned. To accuse the President of undermining federalism is laughable; as a former Governor, no Nigerian alive presently, has fought harder for state autonomy than Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Protecting Rivers is protecting Nigeria.

“What ADC offers Nigerians is late pontification and empty noise. What the President delivered is stability, the return of democratic institutions, and peace in Rivers State. Nigerians can see the difference: President Tinubu acted right. That is what posterity will remember him for.”