Lawyer and former Labour Party spokesperson, Kenneth Okonkwo, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent actions in Rivers State, explaining in detail why the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and other elected officials is unconstitutional and illegal.
President Bola Tinubu suspended his deputy Mrs. Ngozi Odu and the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, for six months following the declaration of a state of emergency in the state. This decision has sparked widespread debate and condemnation from legal experts, opposition politicians, and concerned citizens across Nigeria.
Reacting to the president’s decision, Kenneth Okonkwo took to his social media page to express his strong opposition, arguing that the move undermines democracy and violates constitutional principles. According to him, a state of emergency is primarily intended to restore order in a region facing chaos or unrest, not to forcibly remove a democratically elected governor and dissolve an entire government structure.
Okonkwo referenced a precedent set by former President Goodluck Jonathan, who faced a similar situation but chose a different approach. He pointed out that during Jonathan’s administration, a state of emergency was declared in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states to tackle Boko Haram insurgents. However, despite the security crisis, Jonathan did not remove the governors of those states from office, respecting their electoral mandates.
Okonkwo further argued that the federal government, which has full control over Nigeria’s security agencies, should take responsibility for security failures in Rivers State rather than shifting blame onto Governor Fubara. He accused Tinubu’s administration of using the emergency declaration as a political tool to seize control of Rivers State and weaken the opposition, rather than genuinely addressing security concerns.
In his detailed statement, Okonkwo wrote:
“STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE BY TINUBU
“The removal of the elected Governor and House of Assembly members of Rivers State for six months under Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency is illegal and unconstitutional. This action sets a dangerous precedent and should be rejected by all who believe in democracy.”
“A state of emergency, when declared, simply means the suspension of some fundamental rights of citizens to enable the government to restore order in a state of anarchy. It does not involve the removal of elected representatives of the people. It does not empower the president to dissolve a government elected by the people.”
“During President Jonathan’s tenure, a state of emergency was declared in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States to combat Boko Haram terrorism. Yet, Governor Shettima and others retained their offices. If Jonathan did not remove elected governors during a full-scale insurgency, what justification does Tinubu have for removing a governor in Rivers State, where there is no comparable security threat?”
“Security in Nigeria falls under the exclusive control of the Federal Government, which oversees all military, police, and security agencies. A governor has no direct command over security forces. Blaming Governor Fubara for security failures that lie within the jurisdiction of the Federal Government is misleading and unjustifiable.”
“This move is nothing but a political power grab by President Tinubu. It is an attempt to wrestle Rivers State away from the people and hand it over to his allies in the federal government. If Tinubu was truly interested in justice, why did he not extend the suspension to members of his cabinet who are also involved in the political crisis?”
“The National Assembly must take a stand against this unconstitutional act. They must reject this unlawful removal of elected representatives in Rivers State and uphold the principles of democracy.”
“There is no extraordinary crisis in Rivers State that warrants such extreme measures. What is happening is a well-organized political conspiracy by state looters who are angry that Governor Fubara has refused to give them unrestricted access to the state’s treasury. Since they have failed to remove him through the usual political means, they have now turned to the president for assistance in forcing him out of office through unconstitutional means.”
“It is unfortunate that a sitting President is directly participating in the destruction of Nigeria’s democracy. All democratic forces and well-meaning Nigerians must rise up and condemn this dangerous precedent before it spreads to other states.”
“The will of the people must be respected, and no president should have the power to arbitrarily remove elected officials in a democracy.”
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