Former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of elected officials in Rivers State, warning that the move could tarnish Nigeria’s image. Speaking as Chairman at the Haske Satumari Foundation Colloquium in Abuja on Saturday, Jonathan expressed disappointment over the removal of elected leaders. “These actions by key government actors cast the country in a negative light,” he stated. His remarks come days after President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich South-South state, leading to the six-month suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly. Tinubu defended the decision, citing Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, stating that it was necessary to restore stability amid ongoing political conflicts between the governor and state lawmakers. He confirmed that the proclamation had been published in the Federal Gazette and sent to the National Assembly. Jonathan, however, argued that such actions undermine investor confidence and damage the country’s democratic image. While acknowledging that former presidents typically refrain from political commentary to avoid inflaming tensions, he said he felt compelled to speak due to persistent appeals from Nigerians, particularly as a prominent Niger Delta figure. He also criticized undue interference in the judiciary, warning that it erodes public trust in the legal system. Tinubu added, “This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. “It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole.”