A coalition of civil society organisations in Nigeria has condemned the declaration of a state of emergency in the Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, describing it as a threat to democracy and an unjustifiable overreach of executive power.
Speaking at a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Thursday, Christian Onyegbule, representative of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), read the coalition’s statement, rejecting the emergency rule and demanding its immediate reversal.
The civil society groups accused the Federal Government of using the declaration as a political weapon rather than addressing the underlying causes of the crisis. They argued that the measure unfairly punishes the people of Rivers State while emboldening political actors responsible for the unrest.
Citing historical precedents, the groups reminded President Tinubu of his opposition to a similar declaration by former President Goodluck Jonathan in the North-East, accusing him of hypocrisy.
They also criticised the National Assembly for voting in support of what they deemed an undemocratic move by the president, citing how previously the National Assembly defended democracy when a similar incident happened.
They called on Nigerians to resist what they described as a dangerous precedent and a violation of the Constitution, urging national and international stakeholders to intervene.
“Given the National Assembly’s endorsement of this unconstitutional act, we call on all Nigerians not to remain silent as history threatens to repeat itself. The slippery slope of emergency rule in the Western Region in 1962 serves as a stark reminder of where unchecked executive overreach can lead,” the groups said.
“We also take strong exception to the Attorney General of the Federation’s claims linking the Governor to an alleged security threat in Rivers State. These accusations are nothing more than an orchestrated attempt to justify the unconstitutional declaration of emergency rule. We challenge the Attorney General to provide credible evidence of any genuine security threats. Rivers State has remained peaceful under the leadership of the Governor, despite ongoing provocations.”
Also speaking at the event, Karl Uchegbu, who is the Chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation, South-South Zone, echoed their stance, criticizing the Attorney General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi for making unverified claims against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
He wondered why the Federal Government seems to be judging the matter one-sided, noting that if it insists on going on with the decision, then it leaves room for litigations.
The civil society groups outlined four key demands:
– Immediate reversal of the state of emergency, restoring constitutional order in the state.
– An impartial investigation into the root causes of the political crisis.
– Constructive dialogue among stakeholders to resolve the impasse.
– Respect for judicial decisions, ensuring the full implementation of the Supreme Court’s rulings.
They warned that if not reversed, the declaration could undermine democracy, disrupt the economy, escalate security risks, and impose hardship on residents.
The statement was signed by leaders of several civil society groups, including the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Rivers Coalition for Human Rights (RCHR), Centre for Labour Rights and Development, Human Rights Africa Network (HURA), and seven others.