Human rights lawyer, Tope Temokun, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing it as a dangerous and cowardly assault on democracy.
In a statement on Wednesday Temokun argued that the President’s action, which led to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy and the dissolution of the state’s democratic structures, was unconstitutional and politically motivated.
“The power to declare a state of emergency under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) does not include the removal of a democratically elected governor. The removal of a governor is strictly governed by Section 188 of the Constitution, which prescribes impeachment by the State House of Assembly,” he said.
Temokun accused the federal government of using the state of emergency as a ploy to hijack Rivers’ governance structure for the benefit of Tinubu’s ally and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
“The declaration of a state of emergency may involve deploying troops to maintain order, restricting movement, and suspending certain regulations.
However, dissolving an elected government under this pretext is a hasty, cowardly move not to safeguard security or governance, but to stage a proxy takeover of the state,” he added.
The lawyer further criticised the federal government’s failure to declare similar emergency measures in other regions battling worse security crises.
“For months, gunmen have wreaked havoc in the South East and parts of the North, yet the President looked away. But now, an emergency must be declared in Rivers to forcefully wrestle power from Fubara. This is indefensible,” he said.
Describing the suspension of Rivers’ democratic institutions as a dangerous precedent, Temokun warned that it could embolden future leaders to trample on democracy.
“This move smacks of weakness and cowardice! Democracy in Rivers must not be sacrificed on the altar of political desperation,” he declared.
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