Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has launched a scathing critique of President Bola Tinubu’s handling of the Rivers State crisis, labeling the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other elected officials as a “wanton aggression against democratic tenets and the rule of law.” Hobnob News reports on the escalating controversy and the call for constitutional adherence.
In a statement posted on his X handle, El-Rufai acknowledged the security challenges in Rivers State but argued that declaring a state of emergency should not justify the dismantling of democratic structures. He asserted that the Nigerian Constitution does not empower the President to suspend elected state officials.
“There are things that are so clearly wrong that the justifications summoned in their defence fall flat. The decision of Mr. President to suspend the elected officials of the Rivers State Government is one of those,” El-Rufai wrote.
He emphasized that the President’s responsibilities, while extensive, are constrained by the Constitution and do not include removing elected officials. “The responsibilities of a president are heavy and extensive, but they are constrained by the Constitution and the law and certainly do not include firing persons who were elected,” he stated.
El-Rufai cited the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of Dariye vs. Attorney General of the Federation, which declared the suspension of elected officials unlawful. He argued that extending emergency provisions to dismantle democratic structures is a clear violation of the Constitution.
“The Supreme Court has conclusively declared the suspension of elected officials unlawful in the Dariye vs. Attorney General of the Federation,” he reiterated.
He urged President Tinubu to reconsider his decision and return to the “path of constitutionalism and the rule of law.” El-Rufai also appealed to “well-meaning Nigerians” to join in calling for the reversal of the suspension.
Drawing a parallel to President Tinubu’s past stance as an opposition figure, El-Rufai recalled Tinubu’s criticism of then-President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration of a state of emergency in the North-East. He argued that a similar reconsideration is warranted in the Rivers State case.
“As an opposition figure, Senator Bola Tinubu had made his voice heard against the decision of then President Goodluck Jonathan to declare a state of emergency in the North-East, even when that decision did not extend to the suspension of elected officials and institutions,” El-Rufai noted.
He warned against the “slippery slope” of replicating the events of emergency rule in the old Western Region in 1962 and called for an end to the “gross violation of the Constitution and disrespect for the rule of law.”
El-Rufai’s statement has added fuel to the growing controversy surrounding the Rivers State crisis, with many Nigerians expressing concerns about the implications for democratic governance. Hobnob News will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.
