Atiku, Others, Make 4 Demands From Tinubu Over State Of Emergency In Rivers State

Some concerned leaders and political stakeholders in Nigeria have rejected the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State.

The stakeholders, in a press conference led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, declared the action of President Tinubu as unconstitutional.

The stakeholders, who also include former Labour Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, former Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, therefore called on President Tinubu to reverse his Tuesday declaration immediately.

Naijaonpoint reports they also called on the National Assembly to decline approval for the President’s declaration, urged the judiciary to act to prevent a dangerous precedent and appealed to Nigerians to rise in defence of democracy.

The demands are:

1. Immediate Reversal: We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately revoke this unconstitutional proclamation and reinstate the elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and State Assembly of Rivers State.

2. National Assembly’s Rejection: We call on patriotic Senators and Representatives to vote against this illegal action when it comes before them for approval. The National Assembly must stand on the right side of history and not allow itself to be used to legitimise an unconstitutional power grab.

3. Judicial Intervention: We urge the judiciary to act swiftly in striking down this proclamation, as it sets a dangerous precedent that could be used to arbitrarily remove any Governor in the future.

4. Nigerians Must Defend Democracy: We call on all civil society organisations, political groups, and Nigerians of good conscience to stand firm in the defence of this democracy that we have all toiled to build. Rivers State is not a conquered territory, and Nigeria is not a dictatorship requiring the replacement of an ELECTED GOVERNOR with a MILITARY ADMINISTRATOR. We recall that even when a previous administration had declared a state of emergency in parts of the country bedevilled by insurgency and acts of terrorism, the governors of the concerned states were not removed from office as this administration has done. This action, by President Tinubu therefore represents a new low for our country.