Atiku, El-Rufai, others form coalition against Tinubu over Rivers state crisis
The former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai have formed a coalition against President Bola Tinubu on the introduction of emergency rule in Rivers.
Penpushing reports that duo addressing a press conference alongside some other stakeholders on behalf of the coalition on Thursday described Tinubu’s actions as illegal and a violation of the country’s constitution.
The opposition party leaders, called on the National Assembly to vote against Tinubu’s suspension of elected officials in Rivers State and equally urged the judiciary to swiftly strike down Tinubu’s pronouncement.
Penpushing further reports that the coalition pointed out that such action sets a dangerous precedent that could be used to arbitrarily remove any governor in the future, and encouraged all Nigerians, civil society organisations and political groups to reject the move.
The Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flanked by El-Rufai, spokesperson of the Labour Party, Yunusa Tanko, and a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, Atiku argued that the President failed to meet the criteria for the declaration of a state of emergency
Penpushing also reports that coalition at the conference accused the President of failing to follow due process and misusing Section 305 of the 1999 constitution to declare a state of emergency.
“Section 305 of the Constitution allows the President to declare a State of Emergency only in extreme cases where public safety, national security, or Nigeria’s sovereignty is at serious risk. However, it does not grant him the power to suspend elected officials or to demolish democratic structures as he has brazenly done,” he said.
‘This action is not only unlawful but also a clear subversion of democracy and imposition of autocratic federal control over a duly elected state government. We strongly condemn this development and call on all Nigerians of good conscience to resist this brazen assault on the constitution of our country and the institutions of our democracy.”
“Even if an emergency declaration were valid (which it is not), it would still require a two-thirds majority approval of all members of the National Assembly-that is, at least, 72 Senators and 240 members of the House of Representatives. If this approval is not secured, the proclamation must automatically cease to have effect.”
Penpushing reports that it is recalled that the President on Tuesday declared a state of emergency on Rivers State and suspended the Governor, his Deputy and all members of the house of assembly for an initial period of six months.
The President, thereafter appointed a retired Vice Admiral and former Chief of Naval staff, Ibok-Étè Ibas, as the administrator of the state for the next six months, as the President cited the disturbing violence in the state, including explosions and vandalisation of petroleum pipelines linked to the political crises in the state as the basis for his action.
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