The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly condemned what it terms “unconstitutional interference” in the governance of Rivers State, asserting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu lacks the legal authority to remove a sitting governor.
In a statement signed by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party threw its support behind earlier remarks attributed to Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The ADC highlighted Shettima’s purported assertion that “the president has no power under the Nigerian Constitution to remove even an elected councilor—let alone a state governor.”
The ADC dismissed the subsequent clarification from the Presidency regarding Shettima’s comments as “a mere attempt at political correctness.”
Instead, the party called for the Vice President to stand firm on his “forthright and courageous” stance, which it argued was anchored in constitutional truth and democratic precedent.
“This simple truth must not be lost in the fog of political correctness,” the ADC stated.
They further drew a parallel between past and present situations, saying, “What made the removal of a governor unconstitutional under President Jonathan in Borno is the same that makes it unconstitutional under President Tinubu in Rivers. The only difference is that one respected the Constitution, the other seeks to manipulate it.”
The party referenced Shettima’s personal account of how former President Goodluck Jonathan refrained from removing him as Borno State Governor despite pressure, following legal advice from then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, and former Attorney General Mohammed Bello Adoke.
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“Unlike Jonathan, who respected the law, President Tinubu has chosen to tread the path of unconstitutionality. The suspension of a duly elected governor is not just illegal, it is authoritarian and dangerous,” the statement read.
The ADC criticized what it labeled “executive overreach” in Rivers State, warning that continued interference by the federal government undermines democracy and threatens the foundation of Nigeria’s federalism.
“For avoidance of doubt, the Boko Haram insurgency that led to a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa was far more severe than the current situation in Rivers. Yet Jonathan respected constitutional boundaries. Why can’t Tinubu?” the party queried.
The party concluded by calling on President Tinubu to immediately restore democratic governance in Rivers State, halt all unconstitutional actions, and issue an apology to Nigerians for what it described as a blatant abuse of power.
“The ADC will continue to stand with the Nigerian people in defence of democracy, justice and constitutionalism,” Abdullahi affirmed.
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