The Reign Of Impunity

The people of Rivers State were thrown into shock on Tuesday night, March 18, 2025 when President Bola Tinubu through a nation-wide telecast announced a declaration of a state of emergency and the suspension of the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State.
As if that was not enough injury, the President appointed a Sole Administrator to administer the affairs of the state. In his broadcast, Tinubu, blamed Governor Sim Fubara for inaction when oil pipelines were blown up in the state. In the President’s reasoning, Governor Sim Fubara did not preempt the economic sabotage, neither did he condemn it. National Point condemns in strong terms the deployment of emergency rule in a peaceful democratic setting. Having made a thorough search of the sections of the Nigerian constitution, there is no section that empowers the President of Nigeria to suspend a democratically elected governor or the substantive House of Assembly at the sub-national level.
Granted that the president has the right under Section 305 of the Nigerian constitution to declare a state of emergency, President Bola Tinubu has overstepped his bounds by suspending the executive and House of Assembly of Rivers State.
We view askance this move, especially in view of the prejudice displayed in blaming just one person in a political drama that had been fuelled by one of the President’s appointees, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. The subterranean plot to portray Rivers State as one that is riddled with crisis and turmoil is a false narrative that was stoked to pave way for a declaration of a state of emergency.
It must be stated categorically that Rivers State has been one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria all this while under Governor Sim Fubara even in the midst of all manner of provocations by those who had elected to burn the state. It bears recalling that the state representative on the NDDC Board, Tony Okocha had been rooting without mincing words that the President should declare emergency rule in the state for about a year, all in a bid to oust and frustrate Governor Sim Fubara.
The appointment of a Sole Administrator in a democracy is alien to our collective psyche and our constitution. One thing that the purveyors and supporters of this illegality should note is that crass illegality and injustice perpetrated in one state can be executed in another part of the federation.
This unjustified declaration of emergency rule is a very horrible precedent and a sad reminder of our travails under military dictatorship in the past.
It is mildly amusing to note that the Police claim that they are embarking on a show of force which will last for two weeks in Rivers State. Who is this show of force targeted at? Is it the peaceful people of the state?
Curiously, in defiance of the seizure of the allocations due to Rivers State by the Supreme Court, the Attorney-General of the Federation has now found it fitting to release the seized allocation to the sole administrator of Rivers State now that Governor Sim Fubara is out of the way.
We condemn in its entirety, the prejudicial handling of the political feud between the FCT Minister and Governor Siminalayi Fubara by the President. It is no surprise that men and women of goodwill have risen in defence of democracy to condemn this travesty of justice.
The PDP Governors’ Forum has stated its irrevocable resolve to challenge the declaration of emergency rule and the illegal suspension of the governor and deputy governor of Rivers State. Perhaps, this is a clarion call on all lovers of democracy, human rights, freedom and the rule of law to act in concert and head to the courts to restore democracy in Rivers State.
However, it is regrettable that the House of Representatives and the Senate allowed themselves to be used as the proverbial rubber stamp to give a tinge of legality to the illegal suspension of Governor Fubara and the deputy governor.
One thing is emerging on the landscape of Nigeria, Nigeria’s democracy is on trial.