UPDATED: Atiku, El-Rufai, Lawal, Coalition Of Political Leaders Reject State Of Emergency In Rivers

The Coalition of Opposition Political Leaders led by former Vice President Atiku; former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachair Lawal, and some leaders of the Labour Party (LP) have rejected the introduction of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

President Bola Tinubu had on Tuesday declared a statement of emergency in Rivers State following the political crisis in the oil-rich state. He also suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months.

But during a briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the coalition said President Tinubu’s action is unconstitutional.

READ ALSO: Suspension Of Fubara, Others Clear Violation Of Constitution – Amaechi

The coalition argued that the section of the Constitution that the president relied upon to declare a state of emergency in Rivers was wrongly applied. The group asked for the immediate reversal of the action. It called on the National Assembly to reject the declaration and the judiciary to swiftly intervene by striking down the move.

Citizens and civil society groups must also stand up and defend democracy, the group added.

The coalition urged Nigerians not to forget the historic unrest in the Niger Delta, which was only managed by the efforts and sacrifices of past administrations.

The group called on the Federal Government not to “manufacture” a political crisis that could threaten the fragile stability in the Niger Delta.

Following the declaration, Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as the sole administrator of the state. He swore him in on Wednesday at the State House, Abuja. 

READ ALSO: [Emergency Rule] AGF Blames Fubara, Defends Tinubu, Wike

FG Defends Move

Despite the criticisms that greeted the move, the Federal Government has defended Tinubu’s action. According to the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, the emergency rule declaration was some sort of saving grace for Fubara who had been served impeachment notice by the lawmakers.

“If that impeachment had been allowed to take its full course, the governor would have entirely lost and completely.

“So, in a way, instead of allowing the impeachment to continue, and which in the end would have seen both the governor and the deputy governor out of office for the entirety of their four-year term with the remainder of what they have — a balance of two years and two months,” the AGF said.