FORMER presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has warned that opposition-led states, including Kano and Osun, are increasingly wary of President Bola Tinubu’s ‘unconstitutional’ overreach following the suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other elected officials in the state.
Kwankwaso, in a statement on Friday, March 21, raised the alarm, while also expressing concerns over the approval of the president’s decision by the National Assembly.
The former Kano State governor’s stance followed Tinubu’s suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all the state’s House of Assembly members, following an emergency rule he foisted on the state on Tuesday, March 18.
The ICIR reports that the Senate, on Thursday, March 20, joined the House of Representatives which earlier endorsed the president’s decision to declare a state of emergency in the oil-rich state, through a voice vote.
The Senate invoked its constitutional powers under the amended 1999 Constitution, consequently granting Tinubu the power to fully implement the emergency rule.
The National Assembly established a joint committee comprising members from both chambers. This committee, it noted, would provide oversight on the state administration.
But Kwankwaso argued that the move reflected a broader strategy to tighten federal control over states that do not align politically with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to which the president belongs.
Kwankwaso also criticised Tinubu’s decision to deploy the military in Rivers State, warning that such action rolled back democratic gains made since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999.
“This proclamation and the subsequent pronouncements by the Attorney General of the Federation have now sent numerous people in states led by the opposition into disarray, as they set a dangerous precedence for how the Head of State can grip on states that do not share the same political standing with the centre,” he said.
The former senator and minister drew parallels between the current political climate and the events leading to the 1993 political crisis, blaming the National Assembly for failing to check executive excesses.
He also condemned the federal legislature’s ratification of the state of emergency declaration, calling their voice vote process “illegitimate and lacking transparency.”
“More disturbing is the unilateral decision by both chambers of the National Assembly to ratify the president’s proclamation. I had hoped that the legislators would not add salt to injury by passing this illegality. The Constitution is clear on the method of voting on issues of such importance, and the decision to use the voice vote in deciding this is not consistent with the proper procedures and transparency.
“The decision by the legislators to speedily discuss and decide on a state of emergency that alters the democratic leadership structure in Rivers State undermines our democracy,” he added.
Kwankwaso, however, urged the judiciary to uphold constitutional principles and resist external influence, warning that unchecked executive overreach could foster a culture of impunity.
“Our judiciary also has the very important task of balancing the balance of power by being fair to all parties in any conflict. I believe that the custodians of the Law in Nigeria need to wake up to their responsibility of calming nerves by being as just as possible, with judgments devoid of any hint of external influence.
“At this age of our democracy, this action by President Tinubu to suspend all elected officials in Rivers State is not only unconstitutional, but also a recipe for anarchy and disregard for the highest public office in the state. The National Assembly that should check this excess should not encourage it,” he added.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M