By Emmanuel Kwada
In a strongly worded press statement released today, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it an unconstitutional overreach and a direct attack on Nigeria’s democracy.
The statement, signed by the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, accuses the President of attempting to “override the Constitution” and undermine the democratic will of Rivers State citizens.
The controversy stems from a national broadcast by President Tinubu, in which he announced the imposition of emergency rule in Rivers State, suspending the democratically elected Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and appointing Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as the state’s interim administrator.
Clear violation” of the 1999 Constitution
The PDP has labeled this move a “clear violation” of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and an attempt by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to “capture” the state amid ongoing political tensions.
“The PDP outrightly rejects this attempt by the President to depose a democratic government and foist an undemocratic rule in the State,” the statement read. “The unconstitutional declaration… is a clear attack on our nation’s democracy, an abrogation of the votes and democratic right of the people of Rivers State to choose their leader under the Constitution.”
The opposition party argued that the situation in Rivers State does not meet the constitutional threshold for declaring a state of emergency, rendering the President’s actions “completely incompetent.” Citing Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, the PDP emphasized that any proclamation of emergency requires the approval of the National Assembly—a step they claim the President has bypassed.
“Nothing in Section 305… grants him the exclusive powers to declare or execute the declaration of a state of emergency without recourse to the statutory approval of the National Assembly,” the statement noted.
Well-oiled plot” to destabilize Rivers State, stoke crisis, and truncate democracy as part of a broader scheme to impose a “totalitarian one-party state
The PDP further accused the APC of orchestrating a “well-oiled plot” to destabilize Rivers State, stoke crisis, and truncate democracy as part of a broader scheme to impose a “totalitarian one-party state” across Nigeria.
They warned that the President’s directive for an unelected individual to assume control of the state government is “illegal” and a “recipe for crisis,” threatening the peace and stability of both Rivers State and the nation at large.
In a direct appeal, the PDP cautioned Vice Admiral Ibas against taking any actions that could disrupt democratic governance, reminding him that “Nigeria is not under military rule where the governance of a state is by appointment by a junta.”
The party reiterated that Governor Fubara, elected for a four-year term, cannot have his tenure “unconstitutionally abridged.”
The declaration of emergency rule follows weeks of escalating political unrest in Rivers State, though the specific reasons cited by President Tinubu in his broadcast remain under scrutiny.
The PDP’s statement has heightened tensions, with Nigerians now watching closely to see how the National Assembly and other stakeholders will respond to this unfolding constitutional crisis.
As of this report, neither the Presidency nor Governor Fubara’s office has issued an official response to the PDP’s allegations. The situation in Rivers State remains fluid, with potential implications for Nigeria’s democratic stability.
Read Also: STATE OF EMERGENCY: Governor Fubara Breaks Silence, Assures Rivers People of Peace, Stability
