The Nigerians in Diaspora Association (NDA-USA) has strongly condemned President Bola Tinubu’s recent declaration of emergency rule in oil-rich Rivers state, describing it as a “war against Nigerians and the international community.”
The emergency rule resulted in the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and all elected State Assembly members, with a sole administrator appointed to govern the state for six months.
In a press statement co-signed by President Comrade Martins Tayo and Dr. Benson Obinna, NDA-USA criticized the move as a “blatant disregard for democratic principles and the rule of law.” They argued that the President should have utilized existing legislation and governmental powers to address the situation in Rivers State, rather than imposing an emergency rule.
The association expressed concerns that the federal government, led by the All Progressives Congress (APC), is using the emergency rule as “a pretext to enhance its power, expand its agenda, and shift the balance of power away from the legislative and judicial branches of government in Rivers State.”
The group demanded an immediate reversal of the President’s decision, the restoration of the governor and his deputy to office, and the reinstatement of the State House of Assembly. “We demand that the decision of the President must be reversed with immediate effect. The Governor and his Deputy should be restored to office with immediate effect. The State House of Assembly should be restored with immediate effect,” the statement read.
They also called for the sole administrator to hand over power to the democratically elected administration. “The Sole Administrator should be immediately mandated to return to his home and hand over the reign of power to the democratically elected administration.”
To press their demands, NDA-USA announced plans to organize protests across major cities in the United States, emphasizing their commitment to defending democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria. “We shall be compelled to take further actions in compliance with our demands,” they warned.
The declaration of the state of emergency in Rivers State has sparked widespread debate and criticism. President Tinubu justified the measures by citing escalating political tensions and recent incidents of pipeline vandalism in the oil-rich state. The National Assembly in controversial voice votes on Thursday, approved the emergency measures, which will be in effect for six months.
However, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and several constitutional lawyers have challenged the legality of the President’s actions. They argue that while Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution grants the President the power to declare a state of emergency, it does not empower him to suspend or remove an elected governor or lawmakers. The NBA maintains that such actions set a “dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also condemned the declaration, describing it as “political manipulation and an assault on democracy.” He accused President Tinubu of being “a vested partisan actor in the political turmoil engulfing Rivers State” and called for the immediate reversal of the emergency rule.
The situation in Rivers State continues to evolve, with legal challenges expected and widespread debates about the implications of the emergency rule on Nigeria’s democratic processes.
