The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency and the removal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
In a statement on Tuesday, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN) asserted that the President lacks the constitutional authority to remove an elected governor during a state of emergency.
“Such an action constitutes an unconstitutional violation of democratic governance and the autonomy of state governments,” he stated.
The NBA urged the National Assembly to reject any unconstitutional efforts to endorse the removal of the Rivers State Governor and other elected officials.
“The declaration of a state of emergency must adhere to stringent constitutional criteria, rather than political expediency.”
The NBA cautioned that suspending elected officials under emergency rule creates a perilous precedent that threatens democracy and could be exploited to undermine elected governments in the future.
The association also called for all actions taken in Rivers State to fully comply with constitutional provisions and Nigeria’s democratic principles, urging all stakeholders—including the judiciary, civil society, and the international community—to closely monitor the situation in Rivers to prevent unconstitutional governance and abuse of power.
