A former Governor of Rivers State and the immediate past Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, has added his voice to the growing opposition against President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state House of Assembly, following the declaration of a state of emergency in the state.
Amid the ongoing political crisis in Rivers, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, suspending the governor, deputy governor, and all lawmakers from the state assembly. The President appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) as the administrator to manage the state’s affairs for an initial six-month period.
However, Amaechi, who served as Governor of Rivers State from 2007 to 2015, has strongly condemned the President’s actions, describing them as a power grab and warning that they signal a dangerous slide toward totalitarianism in the country.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Amaechi argued that the President’s move violated the Nigerian Constitution. He called on well-meaning Nigerians, particularly the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, to act and reverse what he termed the “unlawful actions” of the President.
The statement reads, “Unequivocally, I condemn the brazen and unilaterally reckless suspension and removal of the Governor of Rivers State, the Deputy Governor, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“With this singular move, Mr. President has effectively suspended and truncated democracy in Rivers State. This is a clear violation of our Constitution — the very Constitution that Mr. President swore to uphold.
“Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution outlines the legal process for the removal of a State Governor. It does not grant the President the power to issue a fiat, decree, or proclamation to remove a Governor. As such, he cannot appropriate these powers to himself.
“A democratically elected State Governor cannot be removed by a proclamation from Mr. President. The suspension of two key arms of government in Rivers State — the Governor and the State House of Assembly — by Mr. President is a direct violation of our Constitution, even under the scope of Section 305, which the President referenced in his broadcast.
“The unlawful suspension of these elected democratic institutions in my beloved Rivers State represents a brazen power grab by forces who do not possess the constitutional authority to carry out such actions. The events unfolding in Rivers State over the past months clearly point to a coordinated effort by certain individuals to unlawfully impose themselves on the people.
“At this critical juncture in our nation’s history, all people of conscience must rise up and oppose this blatant violation of our Constitution and the erosion of our democracy. Mr. President must be made to understand, in no uncertain terms, that this illegality cannot stand.
“Politicians across party lines must speak out and act to prevent our country from descending into totalitarianism. State Governors and legislators, in particular, should raise their voices now. I urge the National Assembly to reject this unconstitutional action.
“As a former State Governor and former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), I am fully aware of the significant role that elected Governors can play in halting this descent into autocracy and reversing the unlawful actions of Mr. President. I commend the Governors who have already spoken out against this unlawful suspension.
“The suspension is a dangerous affront to Nigeria’s Constitution and democracy.”
