Former Labour Leaders Condemn Emergency Rule In Rivers, Label It ‘Civilian Coup’

Former Labour leaders in Rivers State have condemned the recent imposition of emergency rule, calling it a “civilian coup” and an assault on democracy and the Nigerian constitution.

Naijaonpoint reports that they described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency, which led to the suspension of the elected state government, as a “brazen and flagrant desecration of democracy.”

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday in Port Harcourt, the group, led by former National President of NUPENG, Achese Igwe, and former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Rivers State, Benneth Kalio, voiced their strong opposition to the move.

The leaders insisted that the imposition of emergency rule was a direct assault on the will of the people and a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democratic future.

“Tomorrow, April 18, marks exactly one month since President Tinubu, in a most undesirable and absurd pronouncement, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending the democratically elected Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy, Prof. Ngozi Ordu, and members of the State House of Assembly for six months,” Igwe stated.

He went on to accuse the appointed sole administrator of undermining the state’s democratic structure by dissolving key local institutions and arbitrarily appointing local government officials.

“The sole administrator has set out on a mission of dismantling existing democratic structures in the state, arbitrarily appointing local government council heads, dissolving and reconstituting boards, commissions, and governing councils. This is nothing short of a sinister state capture agenda,” Igwe added.

The former labour leaders also criticised the National Assembly’s approval of the state of emergency declaration, describing it as a “rubber stamp” endorsement via voice vote instead of the constitutionally mandated two-thirds majority.

They condemned the process as a blatant disregard for the proper democratic procedure.

They warned that this precedent, if allowed to stand, would destabilize not just Rivers State but the nation’s democratic framework as a whole.

The group called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to take immediate action against the imposition, which they said was an affront to the people of Rivers State.

“It is our strongest opinion that organised labour, especially in Rivers State, as a key stakeholder in the democratic and economic emancipation of the state, should not fold its arms while the state burns,” said Kalio.

The Forum also raised concerns about the selective nature of the emergency rule. They pointed out that states with far more serious security challenges had not been subjected to such drastic measures.

“It is glaring that this decision was taken in bad faith against the people of Rivers State,” the Forum emphasized, stressing that the state plays a critical role in Nigeria’s unity and economic prosperity.

In conclusion, the Forum called for an immediate reversal of the emergency rule and demanded the recall of Governor Fubara, his Deputy, and the suspended members of the State Assembly in the interest of peace and the rule of law.

The group reaffirmed its solidarity with the people of Rivers State and urged the media to remain vigilant and apolitical, serving as the guardians of democracy.