…Demands reversal of action
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Board of Trustees, BoT, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has faulted members of the National Assembly for endorsing the emergency rule declared on Rivers State by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, through a voice vote.
PDP BoT said that a serious matter like state of emergency could only be endorsed by two thirds majority and not through voice vote.
The body in a statement by its Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, rejected the emergency rule and called for its reversal.
According to the statement the action of President Tinubu amounts to “a gross violation of Nigeria Constitution.”
It read in part: “The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, vehemently, and in very strong terms, condemns President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending the democratically-elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and members of the State House of Assembly.
“His decision to replace them with a sole Administrator is undemocratic and alien to our Constitution.
“This action is a gross violation of Nigeria’s Constitution – the foundational legal document that guarantees the rights of Nigerians to participate in the democratic process. It is an attack on the very essence of our Republic. It’s an action that deserves the strongest condemnation and corrective action by all well-meaning Nigerians, the judiciary, civil society, and the international community.”
Senator Wabara who is also a former Senate President, said: “I call for the reversal of this assault on our democracy. It’s sad and disheartening that Mr President ignored my earlier advice to ignore those calling for emergency rule in Rivers State.
“I had also advised him not to lean towards those attempting to hijack power through the back door in Rivers State. I had then sought his intervention as the father of the nation because the political crisis in Rivers State if mismanaged, is capable of plunging the entire country into a needless political turmoil.
“I denounce the President’s action, which disregards the rule of law and undermines the sovereignty of the people of Rivers State. This grossly-undemocratic action constitutes a violation of our Constitution, which the President solemnly swore to uphold, and threatens the very foundation of democracy in Nigeria.”
The BoT likened the unilateral suspension of elected political officers in Rivers to a military coup.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s action only reminded Nigerians of the better-forgotten era of military dictatorship. Could it be a mere coincidence that the day the PDP National Secretariat land in Abuja was revoked by the APC-led administration, was the same day the Governor of Rivers State was served impeachment notice?”
“Nigeria’s Constitution, under Section 7(1), mandates that each state shall have a government that is formed through the democratic process of elections. The people of Rivers State exercised their democratic rights in electing their leaders, including the State Governor, Deputy Governor, and Members of the House of Assembly.
“These leaders were not appointed by the President or any other authority but were chosen by the people to represent their interests. The Constitution guarantees their right to serve the duration of their mandate, and the President’s unilateral suspension of these duly elected officials represents a direct violation of the people’s will.”
According to the body, the President has powers to declare emergency rule on any state, but the power is not not without limits.
“Where as the President under Section 305 of the Constitution, is vested with the power to declare a state of emergency, such power is not without limits. The President can only declare a state of emergency in specific circumstances such as war, insurrection, or other situations that threaten the integrity of the nation. The situation in Rivers State does not meet the constitutional criteria for such a declaration.”
“The absence of any pressing national emergency renders the President’s decision not only unwarranted but also an abuse of power. A declaration of emergency does not automatically dissolve or suspend elected state governments.
“The Constitution does not empower the President to unilaterally remove or replace elected officials; such actions amount to an unconstitutional usurpation of power and a fundamental breach of Nigeria’s federal structure.
“The President’s decision to replace democratically elected officials with an unelected Sole Administrator is nothing short of a democratic travesty. It is a stark reminder of the fragility of our democratic institutions and the persistence of authoritarian tendencies by the President.
“By dissolving the elected government of Rivers State, the President has effectively denied the people their right to be governed by officials of their choosing. This move is not just unconstitutional; it is a blatant effort to subvert democracy and install unelected officials who are more likely to be subservient to executive power than representatives of the people.”
The PDP BoT which accused Tinubu of hypocrisy in dealing with the Rivers crisis, pledged unwavering support and solidarity for Governor Fubara and the people of Rivers State.
