Unconstitutional and reckless,’ Peter Obi condemns Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in rivers

Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party during the 2023 presidential election Peter Obi has faulted President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

Obi in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle described the president’s decision as ‘unconstitutional and reckless’.

He said: “The unilateral decision of President Bola Tinubu to remove Governor Similaya Fubara of Rivers State from office is not only unconstitutional but also reckless.

“It has plunged us back into a state of lawlessness, hugely undoing the progress we have made in these 26 years of democratic journey.

“By disregarding the rule of law, the President has shown a dangerous willingness to trample on democracy.”

The former Anambra state governor further noted that the political situation in Rivers does not justify such an extreme measure which is a biased interpretation of section 305(1) of the 1999 constitution.

“The declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State is not just reckless—it is a clear attempt to return us to a state of nature and tighten its grip on power at all costs.

“It is a degrading back door imposition of martial rule on a strategic part of the federation with all the implied negatives.

“The political situation on the ground in Rivers does not justify such an extreme measure, and it is also a biased interpretation of section 305(1) of the 1999 constitution.

“A state of emergency does not mean an elected Governor can be removed unilaterally. This decision does not align with democratic norms or good governance. Instead, it appears to be a predetermined action serving specific interests rather than the collective good of the people of Rivers State and Nigeria.

Obi appealed to the National Assembly and all stakeholders not to allow this to stand, as it only deepens the culture of “impunity and brigand already threatening our democracy.

Credit: channelstv.com

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