By Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
Reactions have continued to trail the declaration of State of Emergency in Rivers State, by President Bola Tinubu, as the Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO has called on the National Assembly to reverse the state of emergency declaration in the interest of democracy as a safety gap to avert the conspiracy of undemocratic elements and practices in the country.
The CLO also call on President Tinubu to resent his decision in the best interest of the nation’s constitution and practice of democracy.
The CLO in a press statement signed by its Executive Director, Steve Aluko made available to journalists in Jos the Plateau State Capital said the action of the President offends all judicial pronouncement of the Supremes Court.
It reads: “The Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO condemn in strong terms the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State, because it is an avoidable contraption if all the parties have acted correctly, timely and promptly.
“It is on record that like the declaration of state emergency in Plateau State under former governor Joshua Dariye, under the administration of Olusegun Obasanjo, same under President Bola Tinubu is inconsistent with the letter, intents and spirit of the Nigerian constitution.
“It also offend all indices of democratic governance as celebrated in the recent local government autonomy judgement made by the Supreme Court to the effect that undemocratic practice is illogical, illegitimate and autocratic under a dispensation of civil democracy.
According to him, “If the President and Minister of FCT have acted in good fate the government and the people of Rivers State will not have been held in this iniquitous quagmire.
“We therefore call on the president to resent this decision in the best interest of our constitution and practice of democracy.
“The full return to the sanctity of votes and democratic governance remain the most civil to resolving the issue else it can be summed, captured democracy and clear signs of endangered democratic ideals.
“We call on the National Assembly to disapprove and reverse the State of emergency declaration in the best interest of democracy as a safety gap to avert the conspiracy of undemocratic elements and practices in Nigeria”, he stressed.
It would be recalled that President Bola Tinubu had on Tuesday night declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odua and all elected lawmakers of the State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
Messrs Wike and Fubara have been locked in a protracted fight over the control of the political structures in Rivers State, which initially split the assembly into two factions.
Tinubu, who made the declaration in a nationwide broadcast Tuesday night, appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas, as Administrator “to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate,” the president said.
The President also cited as the basis for his action “the disturbing” violence in the state in the last 24 hours, including explosions and vandalisation of petroleum pipelines linked to the political crises in the state.
Recall also that barely 24 hours ago, 26 lawmakers in the state, served a notice of gross misconduct on Governor Siminalayi Fubara, kickstarting the process of removing him from office.
