Veteran Nollywood actress and politician Hilda Dokubo has slammed President Bola Tinubu over the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, accusing him of plotting to seize control of the state’s economic power.
The President’s controversial decision, announced on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, led to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months. Tinubu cited ongoing political tensions in the state as justification, a move that has triggered outrage and widespread criticism.
Dokubo, in a fiery response via Instagram, condemned the action as a shameless attempt to annex Rivers State, questioning why emergency rule was imposed despite two years of peace.
“State of emergency because you want to capture the economic soul of Rivers State! State of emergency because of one man? Shameless! Perhaps Mr. President should say he wants to annex Rivers State,” she wrote.
She further referenced George Orwell’s Animal Farm, suggesting that Rivers people should be given copies as “palliatives,” while calling on “Mr. Jones to rein in his pigs.”
As reactions continue to pour in, political analysts warn that the move could escalate tensions rather than resolve them, with many viewing it as an unconstitutional power grab. Rivers State remains one of Nigeria’s most economically strategic regions, fueling speculations that the federal government’s intervention is driven by more than just political concerns.
