State Of Emergency Will Exacerbate Crises, Deepen Mistrust, Elevate Security Threats, PDP Govs. Warn
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors on Wednesday warned of the grave implications of declaring a state of emergency in Rivers state.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Rivers State over the political crisis in the state. He suspended the Governor of the State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State for an initial period of six months.
In their stead, he nominated Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state.
Reacting to this development, the PDP governors under the aegis of the PDP Governors’ Forum, in their state by the Forum Chairman and governor of Rivers state, Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, said by touching the governor of Rivers state, the President has touched all of them.
The governors told Mr. President to acknowledge that he made obvious mistakes and acted in haste and reverse the atrocious and retrograde decision before it was too late.
The governors added that President Tinubu’s silence on the active role played by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike in the Rivers impasse is golden and enabling.
They said that the unwarranted but premeditated attack on Rivers State and the Peoples Democratic Party and other opposition parties is today, the greatest threat to democracy in the country, adding that it is an ill wind that will blow no one any good.
The statement reads: “The Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum ( PDPGF) notes with grave concern and utter misgiving the suspension of democratic rule in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his nationwide broadcast of Tuesday, 18th March 2025.
“We stand in solidarity with His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and the good people of Rivers State at this very difficult and trying moment of the state’s political history. There is no other time that our philosophy of ‘TOUCH ONE TOUCH ALL’ is more apt than now.
“He who goes to the court of equity must go with clean hands. Mr. President, your silence on the active role played by your Minister of the FCT in the Rivers impasse is golden and enabling. He has become a law unto himself because he was playing out your script. Now we know. This is totally statesmanly, biased, and divisive.
“We state categorically that this unwarranted but premeditated attack on Rivers State and the Peoples Democratic Party and other opposition parties is, today, the greatest threat to democracy in our dear country, Nigeria, and it is an ill wind that will blow no one any good. It is a dangerous course of action that will not only endanger our hard-won democracy but will exacerbate the crises in the nation, deepen mistrust, elevate security threats, and destroy the economy and our national cohesion and stability.
“The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), in its response signed by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, has already expressed grave concern about the purported suspension by the President of the Governor of Rivers State, the Deputy Governor, and the Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“The NBA affirmed their commitment to upholding the Constitution, defending democratic governance, and ensuring that the rule of law prevails in Nigeria. In their words, “A state of emergency is an extraordinary measure that must be invoked strictly within constitutional limits. The removal of elected officials under the pretext of emergency rule is unconstitutional and unacceptable.
“The Forum completely aligns itself with the NBA and promises to subject Section 305 (3) of the Constitution to judicial interpretation. This authoritarian shenanigan is unacceptable and cannot stand.
“Mr President is therefore called upon to listen to wise counsel and the voice of reason, as well as accept that he made grievous mistakes and acted in haste, and reverse this atrocious and retrograde decision before it is too late.”
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