Describes decision as autocratic power grab’
A coalition of political parties leaders and stakeholders has condemned the declaration of state of emergency by the Federal Government of Nigeria in Rivers State.
At a joint press conference held on Thursday, a coalition of concerned leaders and political stakeholders from across the country slammed President Tinubu’s actions, warning that they pose a grave threat to Nigeria’s constitutional governances.
“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,” the coalition stated. They called on Nigerians to resist what they termed a “brazen assault on the constitution of our country and the institutions of our democracy.”
The leaders highlighted several constitutional violations in President Tinubu’s proclamation. They pointed out that the Nigerian Constitution does not empower the President to remove an elected Governor, Deputy Governor, or State Assembly under any circumstanced.
“The procedure for removing a Governor is clearly outlined in Section 188 of the Constitution through an impeachment process initiated by the State House of Assembly—not by presidential proclamation or arbitrary pronouncement,” they explained.
The coalition also criticised the misuse of Section 305 of the Constitution, which allows for the declaration of a State of Emergency only in extreme cases such as war, external aggression, or a breakdown of public order.
“None of these conditions exist in Rivers State,” they asserted. “There is no war, no widespread violence, and no breakdown of law and order warranting emergency declaration.”
They dismissed the federal government’s justification of pipeline vandalism as “laughable,” noting that the security of national infrastructure falls under the purview of federal agencies.
“If this issue has to do with breach of security, the question that should naturally be asked is: Who controls the police, the military, and the DSS? The Governor or the President?” they queried.
The leaders accused the federal government of manufacturing a political crisis in Rivers State to justify its actions. They traced the root of the turmoil to the defection of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Following their defection, the lawmakers lost their seats under constitutional provisions, leading to a political standoff.
“Rather than allowing the law to take its course, the federal government has engineered a crisis to justify this obviously premeditated and brazenly unconstitutional action,” the coalition alleged.
The coalition issued a four-point demand, calling on President Tinubu to “immediately revoke this unconstitutional proclamation and reinstate the elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and State Assembly of Rivers State.”
They urged the National Assembly to reject the proclamation when it comes up for approval, warning lawmakers against “legitimising an unconstitutional power grab.”
They also appealed to the judiciary to act swiftly in striking down the proclamation, emphasising that it sets a dangerous precedent. “This action by President Tinubu represents a new low for our country,” they said. “We recall that even when a previous administration declared a state of emergency in parts of the country bedevilled by insurgency, the governors of the concerned states were not removed from office as this administration has done.”
The leaders called on Nigerians to defend democracy, warning that the actions of the federal government threaten to plunge the country into chaos.
“Rivers State is not a conquered territory, and Nigeria is not a dictatorship requiring the replacement of an elected Governor with a military administrator,” they declared.
They drew parallels between the current crisis and the historical unrest in the Niger Delta, warning that the federal government’s actions could destabilise the region and, by extension, the entire country. “This is not just about Rivers State,” they said. “It is about the future of Nigeria’s democracy. We must never allow personal political interests to undermine the principles of federalism, democracy, and constitutional governance.”
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