A group of civil society organisations in South East Nigeria has condemned the suspension of elected government officials in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.
The CSOs made this known in Abakaliki Ebonyi State capital on Monday during Nigeria Civil Society Situation room Southeast Zonal press conference on the State of Emergency in Rivers State.
Addressing journalists, Ajah Oliver, Southeast Representative, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room insisted that “there is no constitutional or moral justification for the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.”
According to Ajah, “We, the members and partners of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Situation Room) in the Southeast Zone, unequivocally reject and condemn in the strongest terms the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through a nationwide broadcast on the 18th of March 2025.
“These actions constitute an affront to constitutional democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria. We state that the President has acted beyond his constitutional mandate, as this action violates the sovereignty of the state.The arbitrary removal of elected officials in Rivers State undermines the principles of federalism and sets a dangerous precedent where the federal government can unlawfully take over the governance of any state under flimsy pretexts.
“We therefore reject this reckless and unlawful suspension of elected officials and democratic institutions in Rivers State.The people of Rivers State exercised their constitutional right by electing their leaders. The President’s action is a blatant disregard for their democratic choice and disenfranchises the citizens by imposing a federally appointed administrator over a duly elected government. The appointment of a sole administrator in a democratic era is Illegal, unconstitutional and unacceptable.
“There is no provision in the Nigerian Constitution which empowers the President to appoint an unelected individual to govern a federating unit. If this illegal declaration is allowed to stand, it could serve as a template for future undemocratic actions by the federal government against other states and emboldens leaders to subvert democracy for personal or political gain.
“This endangers the progress Nigeria has made in strengthening democratic
governance since 1999 and moves the country closer to authoritarian rule.”
The group therefore demanded immediate reversal of the State of Emergency In Rivers State.