The Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDPGF) has strongly opposed President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other elected officials, vowing to challenge the move in court.
President Tinubu had, on Tuesday, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending the governor, his deputy, and members of the State House of Assembly.
Reacting to the development, the PDP governors, in a statement signed by their chairman, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, urged the President to reconsider his decision, describing it as a mistake that should be reversed.
They accused the President of turning a blind eye to the role played by his Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in the Rivers crisis.
“We stand in solidarity with Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the good people of Rivers State at this very difficult and trying moment of the state’s political history. There is no other time that our philosophy of ‘TOUCH ONE, TOUCH ALL’ is more apt than now,” the statement read.
Criticising Tinubu’s handling of the crisis, the governors said: “He who goes to the court of equity must go with clean hands. Mr President, your silence on the active role played by your Minister of the FCT in the Rivers impasse is golden and enabling. He has become a law unto himself because he was playing out your script. Now we know. This is totally unstatemanly, biased, and divisive.”
They further described the federal government’s action as “the greatest threat to democracy,” warning that it could worsen national insecurity, damage the economy, and deepen political tensions.
Backing the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in condemning the emergency rule, the PDP governors vowed to seek judicial interpretation of Section 305 (3) of the Constitution.
“The Forum completely aligns itself with the position of the NBA and promises to subject Section 305 (3) of the Constitution to judicial interpretation. This authoritarian shenanigan is unacceptable and cannot stand.”
They called on Tinubu to listen to wise counsel, admit his mistake, and reverse what they termed an “atrocious and retrograde decision” before it was too late.
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