STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE: A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY?

 STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE: A THREAT TO DEMOCRACY?

The recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation from various quarters. The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has vehemently denounced the move, describing it as "an exercise of executive rascality" that threatens the very foundations of democracy in Nigeria.

According to the SMBLF, the President's decision to sack the democratically elected government of Rivers State and appoint a military administrator is a clear violation of the Constitution. "There is no provision in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including Section 305(5), which allows the Federal Government to take over the government of any state," the SMBLF stated.

The SMBLF also questioned the grounds on which the President declared the state of emergency, citing the alleged threat posed by militants in the state. "It is most unfortunate that President Tinubu would unconstitutionally terminate a democratically elected administration on the flimsy ground that 'some militants had threatened fire and brimstone against their perceived enemy of the governor who has up till now NOT disowned them' without investigation of the alleged culpability of the Governor," the SMBLF said.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who was ousted from office by the President's declaration, has called for calm and restraint in the face of the crisis. In a statement, he urged the people of Rivers State to remain peaceful and law-abiding, even as they protest against the unjust removal of their elected government.

The SMBLF has also called on the National Assembly to countermand the President's order and restore democracy in Rivers State. "The National Assembly should exercise its powers under the Constitution to make laws for the peace and good government of Rivers State and countermand the despotic and ominous order of the President," the SMBLF stated.

As the crisis in Rivers State continues to unfold, Nigerians are watching with bated breath to see how the situation will play out. Will the President's declaration of a state of emergency be upheld, or will the National Assembly intervene to restore democracy in the state? Only time will tell.