The declaration of a State of Emergency and subsequent removal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara by President Bola Tinubu has been condemned by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
Afam Osigwe, the president of the NBA described the actions by Tinubu as unconstitutional.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, shortly after the declaration by Tinubu, Osigwe said the president lacks the constitutional power to remove an elected governor and state officials under a state of emergency.
He also said that the action taken by President Tinubu is an encroachment on the democratic governance in the state and the autonomy of state governments.
Osigwe further urged members of the National Assembly to desist from any move by the president to push them into ratifying his actions.
“The approval of a state of emergency must be based on strict constitutional grounds, not political expediency,” Osigwe said.
According to the NBA president, suspending an elected governor and officials of the state under an emergency rule will set a bad precedent capable of undermining the nation’s already struggling democracy.
He called on the president to ensure that all decisions taken in Rivers State are in line with the provisions of the Constitution.