…Rejent declaration of emergency rule in Rivers
Political bigwigs and coalition of opposition parties, comprising Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-rufai among others, have urged Nigerians to resist President Bola Tinubu’s brazen assault on democracy with the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State.
Led by Atiku, those in attendance at the press conference to reject the emergency rule in Rivers include El-rufai, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Bbachir Lawal, in addition to other heavyweight politicians while former governors like Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, Kayode Fayemi took permission just as Peter Obi was represented by Yunusa Tanko.
Enumerating the constitutional violations in the declaration of the emergency rule, Atiku, who read the speech during the joint press conference organised by concerned leaders and political stakeholders in Nigeria listed illegal removal of a governor and State Assembly.
Other areas they faulted President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in Rivers are on misuse of Section 305 on State of Emergency, failure to meet constitutional requirements for emergency rule, failure to follow due process and ignoring of alternative legal avenues.
According the coalition; “This action is not only unlawful but also a clear subversion of democracy and imposition of autocratic federal control over a duly elected state government. We strongly condemn this development and call on all Nigerians of good conscience to resist this brazen assault on the constitution of our country and the institutions of our democracy.”
“Mr President’s illegal and unconstitutional proclamation was presumably driven by the protracted insidious political crisis in Rivers State, which culminated in the recent ruling of the Supreme Court. Naturally, we expected all parties to the dispute to follow laid-down procedures, and in good faith, to promptly implement the judgment of the highest court of the land.
“We note that despite provocative statements and belligerent attitude of his opponents, Governor Fubara had demonstrated goodwill and appeared disposed to the implementation of the ruling of the Supreme Court.
“However, rather than rise above the fray, the president yielded to petty favouritism and betrayed the oath that he solemnly swore to before God and man, which was to “do right to all manner of people, according to law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.”
“If president Tinubu had conveniently disguised his true intentions in the past, his broadcast to the nation on 18th March 2025 betrayed his bias and fell far below the standard of comportment expected from his exalted office,” they claimed.
Defending their rejection of the emergency rule, the coalition said: “Without any doubts, the Nigerian Constitution does not empower the President to remove an elected Governor, Deputy Governor, or State Assembly under any circumstances. The procedure for removing a governor is clearly outlined in Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) through an impeachment process initiated by the State House of Assembly-not by presidential proclamation or arbitrary pronouncement.”
Part of their demands include; immediate reversal and revocation of the unconstitutional proclamation and reinstate, nothing: “We call on all Civil Society Organisations, political groups, and Nigerians of good conscience to stand firm in the defence of this democracy that we have all toiled to build.
“Rivers State is not a conquered territory, and Nigeria is not a dictatorship requiring the replacement of an Elected Governor with a Military Administrator.
“We recall that even when a previous administration had declared a state of emergency in parts of the country bedevilled by insurgency and acts of terrorism, the governors of the concerned states were not removed from office as this administration has done. This action, by President Tinubu therefore represents a new low for our country,” the coalition lamented.
Asked if the coalition will graduate beyond criticisms to mobilise and work together to grab power in 2027, the Waziri Adamawa answered “yes” affirmatively.
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