The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s pronouncement imposing a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing it as a blatant violation of the 1999 Constitution.
In a statement, the PDP firmly rejected what it called an unconstitutional attempt to override the will of the people by suspending the democratically elected Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and replacing him with an unelected individual, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd). The party insisted that this move undermines democracy and constitutes an illegal seizure of power.
The PDP decried the President’s action as a desperate attempt to forcefully take over Rivers State, a move it claims the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been engineering by stoking crises in the state. It warned that the situation in Rivers does not meet the constitutional requirements for declaring a state of emergency, rendering the President’s actions invalid and unconstitutional.
Citing Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, the PDP emphasized that President Tinubu lacks unilateral powers to declare or enforce a state of emergency without the statutory approval of the National Assembly. The party pointed out that under the law, the President must first transmit the details of the emergency declaration to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives for approval—something it argues has not been done.
The PDP further warned that Tinubu’s directive for an unelected individual to take over governance in Rivers State is illegal and a dangerous precedent that threatens national stability. It maintained that Governor Fubara, having been duly elected, cannot have his four-year mandate unlawfully terminated.
Additionally, the PDP cautioned Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) against accepting an unconstitutional role, urging him to respect democratic principles and avoid actions that could destabilize the state. The party reminded the nation that Nigeria is a democracy, not a military regime where governance is dictated by executive fiat.
