A coalition of opposition parties in Nigeria, spearheaded by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has denounced President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State. The opposition claims that the move is unconstitutional and politically driven, accusing the government of engineering a crisis as a pretext for the decision.
The opposition coalition has called for the immediate reversal of the state of emergency, the reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and the Rivers State House of Assembly members. They argue that maintaining national infrastructure security is the responsibility of federal agencies, not grounds for political intervention.
The coalition has urged the National Assembly to reject the state of emergency, the judiciary to annul Tinubu’s proclamation, and called on Nigerians to defend democratic structures. They warned that setting such a precedent could pave the way for the arbitrary removal of any elected governor, thus jeopardizing Nigeria’s political stability.
The historical context of unrest in the Niger Delta was highlighted, recalling efforts by previous administrations to stabilize the region. The opposition cautioned against actions that could undermine the fragile peace and pointed out that similar situations in the past did not result in the removal of state governors.
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