Unconstitutional and Reckless!" – Peter Obi Slams Emergency Rule in Rivers

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has described President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing it as “unconstitutional and reckless.”

Obi condemned Tinubu for disobeying the law and displaying a risky readiness to undermine democracy.

“The declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State is not just reckless—it is a clear attempt to return us to a state of nature and tighten its grip on power at all costs.

“It has plunged us back into a state of lawlessness, hugely undoing the progress we have made in these 26 years of democratic journey.

“It is a degrading back door imposition of martial rule on a strategic part of the federation with all the implied negatives,” Obi said in a statement on Wednesday via X.

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According to Obi, the political atmosphere in Rivers does not support the emergency declaration or the suspension of Governor Siminlayi Fubara, his deputy, and state legislators. Additionally, he asserted that the action is a skewed reading of the 1999 Constitution’s provision 305(1).

He said, “A state of emergency does not mean an elected Governor can be removed unilaterally. This decision does not align with democratic norms or good governance. Instead, it appears to be a predetermined action serving specific interests rather than the collective good of the people of Rivers State and Nigeria.

“This action constitutes an unconstitutional overreach, setting a dangerous precedent that threatens democracy, the rule of law, and the separation of powers. If left unchecked, it could foster a culture of impunity.

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“Having already been grappling with non-adherence to electoral qualifications, rules, and massive rigging, adding arbitrary removal of elected officials will push us to a state of nature and anarchy.”

Therefore, Obi urged the National Assembly and other interested parties to reject the emergency rule, claiming that doing so would strengthen the culture of impunity and jeopardise democracy.