Some leaders of opposition political parties in Abuja on Thursday rejected the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State and called on President Bola Tinubu to revoke the proclamation.
This is just as the House of Representatives approved the president‘s request to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspension of the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The leaders, who included former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, spoke at a news conference in Abuja.
Also present at the forum was a former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai.
Mr Abubakar described the president‘s proclamation as unlawful.
He said that all parties to the dispute ought to follow laid-down procedures and, in good faith, implement the judgment of the Supreme Court.
He argued that Governor Siminalayi Fubara had demonstrated goodwill and appeared disposed to the implementation of the judgment of the Supreme Court.
Mr Abubakar admitted that Section 305 of the constitution allowed the president to declare a state of emergency in extreme cases where public safety, national security or Nigeria’s sovereignty was at serious risk.
He, however, argued that the section did not grant the president the power to suspend elected officials.
The former vice-president said even if an emergency declaration was valid, it would still require a two-thirds majority approval of all members of the National Assembly.
Responding to questions on whether the intervention by the political leaders was not late, Mr Abubakar said that opposition parties had reached out to their lawmakers in the National Assembly to vote against the proclamation.
Also, Mr El-Rufai, expressed the hope that the national assembly would oppose the declaration.
While Mr Obi was represented by Tanko Yunusa, other opposition leaders present included a former Minister of Police Affairs, Adamu Waziri, and a former APC chieftain, Salihu Lukman.
