Chetam Thierry Nwala, a lawyer and indigene of Rivers State, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency in the state is a ploy to destroy its economy, which he said is competing with that of Lagos.
Nwala, who spoke on Friday on The Morning Show, a breakfast program on Arise Television, accused Tinubu of harbouring animosity towards the state and intentionally trying to cripple its economy.
The lawyer claimed that investors have looked away from Rivers State since the disruption to democratic rule in the state, adding that the president has destroyed the livelihood of the people.
Nwala expressed deep concern over the federal government’s actions, which he stated were politically motivated and unjustified.
He insisted that the only solution is to restore democracy to the oil rich South-South state, saying that what the president has done is against the wishes of Rivers people and the 1999 Constitution.
“The emergence of Ibas in Rivers State today has destroyed Rivers’ economy and destroyed Rivers State completely. I don’t blame him so much. I blame the President because I think that there is this animosity the President has against Rivers people. It is very obvious from the facts on the ground,” he said.
“I have held the view that the President wants to destroy Rivers State because it is in direct competition with Lagos, which he controls. And this is a problem for us. It’s a major problem, because if he destroys Rivers State for Lagos to thrive, it tells so much about what the President is doing.”
