PDP Rejects Emergency Rule in Rivers, Says Tinubu Lacks Power to Suspend Governor
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it an unconstitutional attempt to remove Governor Siminalayi Fubara from office.
In a statement by its spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP accused the president of violating the 1999 Constitution by appointing Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as an unelected administrator to take over the state.
The party described the move as an assault on Nigeria’s democracy and a disregard for the rights of Rivers State residents.
“The unconstitutional declaration by President Tinubu of the suspension of the democratically elected Governor of Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and the appointment of an unelected individual to govern the state is a clear attack on our nation’s democracy. It is an abrogation of the votes and democratic rights of the people of Rivers State to choose their leader under the Constitution,” Ologunagba said
The PDP accused the president of attempting a “state capture” and claimed that the emergency declaration was part of a broader strategy by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to destabilise the state and undermine democracy.
“The action of Mr. President clearly borders on an attempt at state capture,” the statement read.
“It is the climax of a well-oiled plot to forcefully take over Rivers State, for which the APC has been bent on stoking crisis to ensure that democracy is ultimately truncated in the state.”
The party also warned that the emergency rule was a tactic to weaken the opposition and impose a one-party system in Nigeria.
“The unwarranted imposition of emergency rule in Rivers State is part of the larger vicious plot to foist a siege mentality across Nigeria, decimate opposition, impose a totalitarian one-party state, and turn the country into a fiefdom,” the PDP stated.
The party insisted that President Tinubu’s decision violated Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, which outlines the procedure for declaring a state of emergency.
It stressed that the president does not have unilateral authority to enforce emergency rule without the approval of the National Assembly.
Quoting Section 305 (2) of the Constitution, Ologunagba said, “The President shall immediately after the publication, transmit copies of the Official Gazette of the Government of the Federation containing the proclamation, including the details of the emergency, to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, each of whom shall forthwith convene or arrange for a meeting of the House to consider the situation and decide whether or not to pass a resolution approving the proclamation.”
The PDP urged the National Assembly to step in and uphold the rule of law by rejecting the state of emergency.
It also called on the international community and civil society organisations to take note of what it described as a dangerous precedent set by the Tinubu administration.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
