A coalition of some civil society organisations (CSOs) has called the United Nations (UN) to sanctions Nigeria over declaration of emergency rule in Rivers state.
President Bola Tinubu had declared a state of emergency in Rivers following growing political tension in the state.
The president suspended the Rivers governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly for six months and appointed a sole administrator to govern the state.
Convener of the CSOs, Egondu Esinwoke, in petition to the UN, accused the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of attempting to frustrate governance in Rivers state.
The CSOs alleged that Wike instructed 27 lawmakers of the Rivers State Assembly to renounce their membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in order to please the president.
The coalition alleged that Wike attempted to collude with the judiciary to overthrow the will of the people and remove Fubara as governor.
“Their plot, however, hit a brick wall as the Chief Judge of Rivers State, a man of impeachable character was unwilling to collude with them.
“Disappointed at the integrity of the Chief Judge of Rivers State, they wrote a petition against him to the Department of State Services (DSS) calling for his investigation and arrest.
“With their plots falling like pack of cards, the FCT Minister resorted to using the President, Mr. Bola Tinubu to oust the Governor of Rivers State, “the petition said.
According to the CSOs, the president’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers state and the suspension of the governor, deputy governor, and legislative arm of the state government were “unconstitutional and ultra vires”.
Citing section 305 of the constitution, the coalition said the president may declare emergency rule but cannot remove a democratically elected governor.
The group argued that the conditions stipulated by the said section for proclamation of Emergency rule were not met as Rivers State was very peaceful at the time of the declaration.
“Section 188 of the constitution of Nigeria stipulates the procedure for the removal of a Governor, and any action outside the prescribed procedure under the section afore-referenced is unconstitutional and void. Section 1(2) of the constitution frowns at the imposition of military rule on River’s people.
“As at the moment, all withheld monthly federal allocations have now been released to the Sole Military Administrator who is accountable not to the people but to President Bola Tinubu, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio – who superintended over the Senate approval of the constitutional blunder and; the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
“The same Section is clear, that the proclamation only takes effect when 2/3 majority of the National Assembly — Senate and House of Representative affirms same.
“However, the President insisted it takes effect immediately in flagrant disregard of the Nigerian Constitution.
“Further-more, the compromised Senate and House of Representatives used a voice vote to affirm the illegality”, the petition stated.
The CSOs, therefore, called on the UN to ask Tinubu to restore democratic governance in Rivers, place sanctions on Nigeria for defaulting in her obligation to promote democracy and democratic institutions within her territory and advise the President to limit his actions within the confines of the Constitution.
