Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has strongly condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, which included the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the state assembly for six months.
The state has been engulfed in a fierce political crisis between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Tinubu’s decision, announced in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, has drawn widespread criticism from opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.
In a statement on Wednesday, Amaechi denounced the move as an unconstitutional assault on democracy.
“I unequivocally condemn the brazen and unilateral suspension of the Governor of Rivers State, the Deputy Governor, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. With this single act, Mr. President has effectively suspended and truncated democracy in Rivers State,” Amaechi stated.
“This action is a clear violation of the Nigerian Constitution, the same Constitution the President swore to uphold. Section 188 of the Constitution explicitly outlines the process for removing a governor, and it does not include a unilateral declaration or decree by the President. A democratically elected governor cannot be removed by mere proclamation.”
Amaechi argued that the suspension of key democratic institutions in Rivers State was a deliberate power grab by those without the constitutional authority to govern.
“The events unfolding in Rivers State over the past months reveal a calculated effort by certain individuals to impose themselves on the people through unconstitutional means. At this critical moment in our nation’s history, all people of goodwill must resist this blatant violation of our Constitution and the desecration of our democracy.”
He called on politicians across party lines, state governors, and legislators to oppose what he described as an illegal move toward totalitarianism.
“The National Assembly must reject this illegality. State governors and lawmakers must speak up now. If we allow this to stand, it sets a dangerous precedent that threatens our entire democracy.”
As a former governor and ex-chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Amaechi emphasized that elected governors must act decisively to stop what he described as a dangerous affront to Nigeria’s constitutional order.
“I commend the governors who have spoken out against this unconstitutional suspension. It is a direct attack on democracy, and it must not be allowed to stand,” he concluded.