By Ayomide Otitoju
Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it unconstitutional and a dangerous precedent.
In a statement on Wednesday, Obi denounced Tinubu’s unilateral decision to suspend Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, arguing that it undermines Nigeria’s democratic progress.
“The decision to remove Governor Fubara from office is not only unconstitutional but also reckless. It plunges Nigeria back into a state of lawlessness and undoes the progress we have made in 26 years of democracy,” Obi said.
He argued that the political crisis in Rivers State does not justify such an extreme measure and accused Tinubu of misapplying Section 305(1) of the 1999 Constitution.
“This is a blatant attempt to impose martial rule under the guise of a state of emergency. A democratically elected governor cannot be removed by presidential fiat. This is an unconstitutional overreach that threatens democracy and the rule of law,” he added.
Obi called on the National Assembly and other stakeholders to resist what he described as a growing culture of impunity, warning that unchecked executive overreach could push Nigeria into anarchy.
Tinubu’s declaration, made during a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, led to the suspension of Rivers’ elected officials and the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as interim administrator for six months.
The move has sparked mixed reactions. Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, also condemned the decision, calling it “political manipulation.”
However, the Rivers State House of Assembly has endorsed the president’s decision, blaming Governor Fubara for what they described as his “despotic and tyrannical actions.”
