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Following the drawn-out political crisis that has gripped the state for more than a year, the Rivers State House of Assembly has supported President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency.

The Assembly also attributed the suspended governor of the state Siminalayi Fubara to his “despotic and tyrannical actions,” including repeated violations of court orders and orders, failure to act in accordance with his oath of office, and unconstitutional obstruction of the legislative branch of government, which sparked the crisis, in a statement from its speaker Martin Amaewhule.

The Governor’s actions, as confirmed by the courts, have unconstitutionally prevented the Rivers State House of Assembly from functioning, the speaker said.

Read more about Peter Obi’s demonization of Tinubu’s Declaration of Emergency Rule in Rivers in Peter Obi’s “Unconstitutional, Reckless” (Royal, 1998).

Amaewhule urged residents to remain calm as the country’s one-man takes over. She said the president’s decision was in the “best interest of the country.”

The statement reads, “We assure you all, our constituents, that we will follow this declaration even though it is not what we prayed for.”

We ask that you all remain calm as the president’s sole administrator performs his duties in the best interests of our country and society because “Mr. President has acted in the best interest of the country.”

Administrators receive full support.

Amaewhule assured residents that the Assembly would follow the declaration and that Rivers State residents should remain calm as the President’s sole administrator performs his or her duties. He backed the Sole Administrator’s ability to serve the interests of both the state and the country.

The Rivers State House of Assembly pledges its full support to the Sole Administrator, saying, “Our dear state, the Rivers, is in need of all the help we can get,” Amaewhule said.

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s candidate for president in the 2023 presidential election, criticizes President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

Obi described the president’s decision as “unconstitutional and reckless” in a post on his X (previous Twitter) handle.

He remarked, “The president’s unilateral decision to remove Rivers State governor Similaya Fubara from office is reckless and unconstitutional.”

The progress we’ve made in these 26 years of democracy have been greatly hampered by it because it has plunged us back into a state of lawlessness.

The President has shown a dangerous willingness to trample on democracy by disobeying the rule of law.

The former state governor of Anambra added that a biased interpretation of section 305 (1) of the 1999 constitution is not appropriate given the political climate in Rivers.

Rivers State’s declaration of a state of emergency is “not just reckless; it is a clear attempt to restore us to a state of nature and to tighten its grip on power at all costs.”

With all the implied negatives, it is a degrading backdoor imposition of martial law on a pivotal region of the federation.

Rivers’ political situation does not make such an extreme assessment, and it also serves as a biased interpretation of section 305(1) of the 1999 constitution.

An elected governor may not be removed unilaterally under the circumstances of a state of emergency. This choice is contrary to good governance and democratic norms. Instead, it appears to be a decided action that prioritizes the interests of the Rivers State and Nigerian people over the general good.

This behavior constitutes an unconstitutional overreach, creating a risky precedent that threatens the separation of powers, the rule of law, and democracy. Unchecked growth could result in a culture of impunity.

Governor Similaya Fubara of Rivers State was removed from office by President Bola Tinubu at the same time, which is reckless and unconstitutional.

The progress we have made over the past 26 years has been greatly impacted by it because it has plunged us back into a state of lawlessness…

Addition of arbitrary removal of elected officials will put us in a state of nature and anarchy because we have already been grappling with non-adherence to electoral qualifications, rules, and massive rigging.

Obi made an appeal to the entire National Assembly.
stakeholders to demand that this continue, as it only strengthens the corruption and impunity that are already a threat to our democracy.

President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state on Tuesday, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all House of Assembly members for six months, following the lengthy political cries in Rivers State.

Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) was appointed as the state’s administrator for the first six months, according to his president.

Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 presidential election, who described the declaration as a political manipulation, has received various reactions to President Tinubu’s statement.