PDP Rejects Tinubu’s State of Emergency in Rivers

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly opposed President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it a “blatant violation of the 1999 Constitution.”

In a statement, the PDP condemned the president’s actions, accusing him of undermining the will of the people of Rivers State by seeking to remove a democratically elected government and replace it with an undemocratic rule.

“The unconstitutional declaration by President Tinubu, suspending the democratically elected Governor Siminalayi Fubara and appointing Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as the governor, is a direct attack on our democracy. It undermines the constitutional right of the people of Rivers State to elect their leader,” the statement read.

Debo Ologunagba, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, described the move as part of a broader attempt at state capture, accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating a crisis to ultimately dismantle democracy in Rivers State. He added, “This is the culmination of a well-coordinated plot to seize control of Rivers State, with the APC working to stoke tensions and end democratic governance.”

The PDP rejected the president’s justification for declaring a state of emergency, arguing that the situation in Rivers State did not warrant such an extreme measure. The party emphasized that the declaration was legally flawed and lacked the constitutional basis to be valid.

“The president’s use of Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution is deeply flawed,” the PDP asserted. “Nothing in this section grants the president the unilateral authority to impose a state of emergency without the approval of the National Assembly.”

The party pointed to Section 305(2) of the Constitution, which mandates that the president must submit the details of the state of emergency to the National Assembly for approval. “The president’s actions ignore this requirement, rendering the declaration constitutionally invalid,” the PDP said.

The opposition party warned that the imposition of emergency rule in Rivers State was part of a larger scheme to create a siege mentality across the country, weaken opposition parties, and pave the way for a one-party, totalitarian state.

“The appointment of an unelected individual to govern Rivers State is illegal and will only lead to crisis. It threatens the peace and stability of not just Rivers State, but the entire nation,” the PDP argued.

The party reiterated that Governor Fubara had been democratically elected for a four-year term, which cannot be truncated by unconstitutional means. It also cautioned Vice Admiral Ibas (rtd) to respect the Constitution and avoid actions that could derail the democratic process in Rivers State.

“Governor Fubara’s tenure must be respected. Nigeria is not under military rule, and governance should not be by appointment from a junta,” the PDP concluded.