Legal practitioners solicit U.S. support for emergency rule in RiversRivers

Abuja, May 2, 2025 (NAN) A group of legal practitioners, under the auspices of Public Interest Lawyers (PIL), has called on United States of America to support the state of emergency in Rivers, declared by President Bola Tinubu.

The group, led by Mr Beeior Orpin, made the call on Friday in a petition submitted to the U.S Embassy in Abuja after a peaceful walk.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Tinubu had declared a state of emergency in the state and suspended Gov. Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Gov. Ngozi Odu and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months.

Consequently, he announced the appointment of Retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the sole administrator of the state.

NAN also reports that the emergency rule was declared following the face-off between the Fubara and the state assembly, resulting in threats of violence and protest by some stakeholders in the state.

Orpin said that under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the president had discretionary powers to proclaim a state of emergency if public safety and public order were in danger.

He said that Tinubu had to wade in because Rivers, under the suspended governor, was on the verge of anarchy, following  the demolishment of the legislative arm of government in the state.

Orpin said that Nigeria and the United States shared similar democratic principles, saying that there was the need for shared support at a time like this.

“Lives and property were in grave danger in Rivers before the president’s intervention. Since then, calm has returned and the process of enduring peace, law and order is in progress.

“We thank the president for his timely action and request that the United States, as the bastion of democracy, support him to entrench law and order in our country,” he said.

Also speaking, Ms Sandra Ezeoke, a member of the group, explained the rationale behind their decision to draw the attention of the American government to the proclamation of emergency rule in Rivers.

Ezeoke said they were at the embassy because there had been lots of misconception about the action taken by Tinubu and the National Assembly.

“The law is trite that any administrative action taken is valid until set aside by a court of law.

“Right now, the administrative action that has been taken is the state of emergency declared by Tinubu and it remains valid until it is set aside by the court.

“That matter is in court and it is not out of place, as members of the public, to start deciding upon it. We chose the US embassy because as we know, the father of democracy is a former president of the U.S.

“We feel that if there is any country that is going to guide us properly because democracy is not an indigenous idea of Nigeria, it is going to be the U.S.,” she said.

NAN reports that the inscriptions on some of the placards carried by the legal practitioners read: “Emergency rule in Rivers constitutional”, “Section 305 provides for emergency rule”, “Emergency rule in Rivers State is legal” and “Fubara demolished the legislature, it is a danger to democracy.” (NAN)