A COALITION of opposition leaders have demanded the immediate reversal of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
At a press conference on Thursday, March 20, in Abuja, the group, comprising the former vice president and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna state governor, Nasil El-Rufai, among others, described the declaration as an unconstitutional move to dismantle an elected government.
They denounced the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and the Rivers State House of Assembly, calling it an illegal power grab that must not stand.
Their outrage followed Tinubu’s March 18 national broadcast, where he cited a breakdown of law and order and alleged threats to national security as justification for emergency rule in Rivers State.
The president referred to prolonged political unrest, particularly the dispute between Fubara and lawmakers loyal to his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, as the reason for his decision.
He said Fubara failed to act on vandalisation of pipelines by some militants in the state and the governor took no action to contain them.
He also accused the governor of failing to condemn the attack, including the groups that had threatened mayhem and destruction of oil facilities should the governor be impeached.
Besides, Tinubu said the governor failed to contact him after the attack on the oil facility.
However, the stakeholders accused the Federal Government of ignoring the nation’s constitution and making an illegal attempt to take over the state.
They argued that no conditions under the constitution warranted a state of emergency in the state, as the Niger Delta region was neither at war nor experiencing a total breakdown of law and order.
“We, a cross-section of leaders and political stakeholders from across the country, have come together to address the dangerous and unconstitutional actions taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, on March 18, 2025 – to wit, the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State and the illegal suspension of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and the State House of Assembly.
“This action is not only unlawful but a clear attempt to subvert democracy and impose 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 constitutional governance.
“Seemingly, Mr President’s illegal and unconstitutional proclamation was driven by the protracted insidious political crisis in Rivers State, culminating in the recent ruling of the Supreme Court. Ordinarily, all parties involved would have been expected to follow laid-down procedures, motivated by good faith, to quickly implement the judgment of the highest court of the land.
“We note that Governor Fubara’s disposition is geared towards full implementation of the ruling of the Supreme Court, despite provocative statements from opposing quarters,” the group said.
It insisted that the National Assembly must reject the move, warning lawmakers against setting a precedent that could allow any president to remove elected governors at will.
The group also called on the judiciary to act swiftly in striking down the proclamation, describing it as a test of Nigeria’s democracy.
“We urge the judiciary to act swiftly in striking down this proclamation, as it sets a dangerous precedent that could be used to arbitrarily remove any governor in the future.
“Nigerians must defend democracy: 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,” the group added.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M