A group of eleven governors from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has taken legal action against the Federal Government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over the declaration of an emergency rule in Rivers State and the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The governors have approached the Supreme Court, challenging what they describe as an unconstitutional and politically motivated decision that undermines the democratic process and the autonomy of states.
The PDP governors argue that the imposition of an emergency rule in Rivers State is a direct violation of the Nigerian Constitution and an affront to the rights of the people of the state. The emergency rule was instituted following claims of security challenges, but the governors contend that it was implemented without due process and in a manner that disrupts the democratic structure of governance. Furthermore, they have expressed grave concerns over the suspension of Governor Fubara, which they claim was done without proper constitutional grounds.
According to the PDP governors, the move is politically motivated and intended to destabilize the PDP’s governance in Rivers State. They assert that the suspension of Governor Fubara and the emergency rule are efforts to undermine the legitimacy of elected officials and interfere with the rights of citizens to elect their leaders freely.
In their petition to the Supreme Court, the governors are seeking to reverse the emergency rule and the suspension of the governor. They are also calling for a full investigation into the actions of the federal government, as they believe these decisions set a dangerous precedent for future governance in Nigeria.
“This is an attack on democracy,” said one of the petitioning governors, speaking on behalf of the group. “The federal government cannot just wake up and unilaterally impose emergency rule in any state without respecting the provisions of the constitution. Rivers State is a sovereign entity within the Nigerian federation, and the people of the state have elected their governor. No external force, particularly one with questionable intentions, can be allowed to destabilize their mandate.”