South South Govs denounce Tinubu’s declaration, seeks dialogue to resolve impasse
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
South South Governors’ Forum (SSGF) has rejected the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers by Bola Tinubu, arguing that noting has happened in the political situation to warrant the drastic action.
A statement signed by SSGF Chairman and Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri acknowledged the President’s constitutional duty to maintain law and order but insisted that the conditions outlined in Section 305(3) of the Constitution for declaring a state of emergency must be met.
“The current political situation in Rivers State does not satisfy the criteria for declaring a state of emergency as outlined in the Constitution,” the statement stressed.
“Such a declaration should be considered only under extreme conditions like war, external aggression, imminent invasion, or a breakdown of public order, existential threats to Nigeria, natural disasters, or other significant public dangers.
The SSGF argued that the removal of a Governor, Deputy Governor, or members of the House of Assembly proclaimed by Tinubu must follow the procedure in Section 188 of the Constitution, saying due process was not fully considered before the emergency declaration.
“We believe that the political disputes in Rivers State between the Governor and the House of Assembly should, ideally, be resolved through legal and constitutional means, rather than by executive fiat.”
As a way forward, the SSGF:
- Called for an immediate reversal of the state of emergency to ease tension and restore stability.
- Urged all parties to remain calm, uphold the Constitution, and embrace dialogue as the best solution to the crisis, and pressed that “the moment for dialogue is now.”
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