Former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s decision to suspend Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Amaechi’s reaction comes after Tinubu, in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended key elected officials for six months.
As part of the emergency measures, Tinubu appointed retired Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, as the sole administrator of the state.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Amaechi described the suspension as “undemocratic” and a direct violation of Nigeria’s Constitution.
He said: “Unequivocally, I condemn the rather brazen and unilaterally reckless suspension and removal of the Governor of Rivers State, the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
According to Amaechi, the move effectively “suspended and truncated democracy in Rivers State” and went against the very Constitution that Tinubu swore to uphold.
Amaechi argued that Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution outlines the legal process for removing a state governor, and it does not grant the president the power to unilaterally remove an elected leader.
“A democratically elected State Governor cannot be removed from office by a proclamation of Mr. President. The suspension of two key democratically elected arms of Government in Rivers State by Mr. President evidently violates our Constitution, even within the scope and interpretation of Section 305 that the President cited in his broadcast.”
The former governor also warned that the suspension was part of a larger attempt by certain political figures to seize power in Rivers State unlawfully.
Amaechi called on politicians, state governors, and lawmakers to speak out against what he described as a dangerous attack on Nigeria’s democracy.
“At this inauspicious moment in our nation’s trajectory, all people of goodwill and conscience should rise to oppose this audacious violation of our Constitution and rape of our democracy. Mr. President must be made to know and understand in unmistakable terms that this illegality cannot stand.”
He also urged the National Assembly to reject the emergency declaration, calling it an affront to the country’s democratic principles.
“As a former State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum(NGF), I am not unaware of the role elected Governors in the country can play to halt this descent and reverse the unlawful actions of Mr. President. I commend the Governors that have spoken against the unlawful suspension.
“The suspension is a very dangerous affront on Nigeria’s Constitution and democracy.”
