Former presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) have seemingly lost their grip on opposition lawmakers, as the National Assembly overwhelmingly approved President Bola Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration in Rivers State.
Despite the PDP and LP holding a combined 130 seats in the House of Representatives after recent defections, they failed to prevent the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from securing the two-thirds majority required to pass the emergency rule resolution.
The lack of coordination among opposition lawmakers became evident when both Atiku and Obi released statements opposing the emergency declaration only after the National Assembly had already approved it.
Leading up to the vote, some opposition lawmakers strongly opposed the emergency rule, engaging in heated debates. However, the APC leadership effectively lobbied and divided the opposition, delaying the official presentation of the declaration from Wednesday to Thursday to weaken resistance.
Atiku, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), revealed that he had urged former Rivers State Governor Rufus Ada-George to reach out to lawmakers from the region to reject the emergency proclamation.
Obi, also on X, condemned what he described as unconstitutional actions, urging lawmakers to defend democracy and reject any move that undermines the interests of Rivers residents.
Critics, however, questioned why neither leader made direct efforts to mobilize their lawmakers before the vote, such as calling meetings or holding press conferences. Many Nigerians expressed disappointment in their leadership, doubting their ability to command influence ahead of the 2027 elections.
A Labour Party senator admitted that both Atiku and Obi have struggled to assert control over their lawmakers, further weakening their positions as opposition leaders.
Neither Atiku nor Obi provided further comments on why they acted only after the vote had been concluded.
