The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly condemned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent suspension and subsequent reinstatement of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, calling the move “whimsically autocratic” and a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.
In a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC accused the President of disguising “political brinkmanship as statesmanship” and acting outside his constitutional powers. The party’s reaction follows President Tinubu’s decision on Wednesday, September 17, to end the six-month state of emergency in Rivers State and order the return of the elected officials.
A Threat to Democracy and Federalism
The ADC argues that the President’s action sets a dangerous precedent by treating elected officials as if they were his personal appointees. “Governors and legislators in a democracy do not draw their legitimacy from Aso Rock. They derive it from the people who elected them,” the statement read, adding that only a competent court has the authority to remove or restrain them.
The party also pushed back on the Presidency’s claim that Tinubu’s return from vacation was to address worsening security in the country. Instead, the ADC stated that the President returned to “personally oversee the return of Fubara to office and bask in the glory of the dictatorial powers that he had assumed for himself,” reinforcing the message that “I removed you, and I alone can bring you back.”
A Call for Judicial Intervention
The ADC’s statement also pointed out that the constitutional provision for a state of emergency (Section 305) is meant for genuine public dangers like insurrections or epidemics, not for settling political scores. The party believes the situation in Rivers State was a “political contrivance” aimed at serving narrow interests and pacifying the state government to be loyal to Abuja.
In light of these concerns, the ADC has called on the Nigerian judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court, to take a definitive stance on the matter to prevent a dangerous precedent from taking hold. The party warned that the judiciary’s “silent indifference” would make them “collaborators in the subversion of our democracy.”
The President’s office, however, has maintained that the six-month state of emergency was a necessary constitutional measure to restore order and prevent anarchy in the state, citing a Supreme Court ruling that had previously held that there was no functional government in Rivers State. While acknowledging dissenting voices, the Presidency stated that the move was a direct response to a political crisis that had paralyzed governance and was ratified by the National Assembly.
