Civil Rights Council Condemns Suspension Of Gov. Fubara, Deputy, Calls On President Tinubu To Rescind Action

National Coordinator of Civil Rights Council,Arochukwu Paul Ogbonna in a press briefing on Thursday,20 March,2025 also condemned the suspension of the House of Assembly while urging the President to rescind his decision.

Press Statement By Civil Rights Council

A Fatal Cute For a Sick Rivers state

The Civil Rights Council is a none governmental and none profit organization. Founded as a human rights organization with the purpose of promoting the rule of , advancement of democracy and constitutionalism, protecting human rights in all aspects and etc.

Like many other Nigerians were shocked and embarrassed with the proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers state by the President and Commander in chief of the Armed forces of the federal republic of Nigeria Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the 18th of March 2025. In the same stroke of the declaration of the state of emergency in the state,a sole administrator was appointed to oversee the affairs of the state while democratic structures of leadership in the state,the Governor, his deputy and House of Assembly remain suspended.
While the powers of the president of the federal republic of Nigeria under the 1999 constitution to issue a state of emergency is granted but same must be in line with the provisions of sub section 3 of that section. We doubt if any of the provisions of sub section 3 of section 308 is prevalent in Rivers state today or before the said proclamation of the state of emergency.

It is more worrisome that the government of Rivers has encountered executive/ legislative faceoff for over a year now. With certain political actors vowing to remove the governor of the state. Infact it is been circulated in social media that the governor has been served impeachment notice by the State House of Assembly. One may ask in the months of political disagreements in the state with some prominent political figures insisting that the governor must go. Is the state of emergency another way of fulfilling their desire.
It is surprising to us that the President a self confessed democrat will proceed to suspend a constitutional government of the people by the people and for the people. A state of emergency can exist if necessary without such suspension.
We consider the state of emergency and suspension of democratically elected officials unacceptable to us.
This, we demand that the President rescind his decision or on the alternative the National Assembly should refuse to rectify the proclamation.

We have been worried on the suffocation of the civic space by the Nigerian ruling class but more the rising dictatorial dispositions of Nigerian leaders at all levels. Today in Rivers state like most other states and as associated with democracy executive/ legislative disagreements is a feature of politics and the beauty of democracy even at that there are many ways of resolving to conditionally resolve this.

We urge the President to refuse to sucumb to pressure by a few individuals out to serve their own interest at the detriment of community good and social welfare. The President should be seen not to be partisan but conduct state affairs with ultmost good faith. Those personal issues should seek to resolve them at individual levels and not at the cost of community good.
Lift the suspension of elected state officials – governor and deputy. Speaker and assembly members. Cancel the state of emergency. Rivers state is not ripe for that now.

Thanks.

Arochukwu Paul ogbonna

National Coordinator,Civil Rights Council,Nigeria
20th March,2025