Your Constitutional Responsibility Does Not Include Suspending Or Firing Fubara – El-Rufai Blasts Tinubu
AFOLABI
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is wrong to have suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu.
Recalls that in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, Tinubu had declared a State of Emergency in Rivers State and suspended all elected officials for six months.
Reacting in a statement he personally released on Wednesday night, El-Rufai pointed out that the Nigerian Constitution does not support the suspension of a governor by the president.
According to him, it is dangerous to our system of democratic federalism for an elected president to assume and exercise powers to suspend elected officials at the State level.
The former governor said a state of emergency could surely have been proclaimed to grant the relevant security agencies the extraordinary powers and necessary resources to enable them to address insecurity in Rivers but extending such an emergency regime to include the dismantling of democratic structures is a wanton aggression against democratic tenets and the rule of law.
El-Rufai’s statement read: “There are things that are so clearly wrong that the justifications summoned in their defence fall flat. The decision of Mr. President to suspend the elected officials of the Rivers State Government is one of those. Our country’s Constitution does not support it precisely because it is dangerous to our system of democratic federalism for an elected president to assume and exercise powers to suspend elected officials at the State level. The responsibilities of a president are heavy and extensive, but they are constrained by the Constitution and the law and certainly do not include firing persons who were elected.
“The security issues cited in the President’s speech surely deserve the most serious attention and sustained efforts to contain the threats and preserve vital national infrastructure. That is a duty that we ought to vigorously support the security agencies to successfully discharge. A state of emergency could surely have been proclaimed to grant the relevant security agencies the extraordinary powers and necessary resources to enable them to address the problem. Extending the provisions of such an emergency regime to include the dismantling of democratic structures is a wanton aggression against democratic tenets and the rule of law. The Supreme Court has conclusively declared the suspension of elected officials unlawful in the Dariye vs.Attorney General of the Federation.
“It is my view that Mr. President should review this decision and return to the path of constitutionalism and the rule of law. As an opposition figure, Senator Bola Tinubu had made his voice heard against the decision of then President Goodluck Jonathan to declare a state of emergency in the North-East, even when that decision did not extend to the suspension of elected officials and institutions. A similar reconsideration is warranted in this case to contain the damage done to the people of Rivers State, and restore the Federal Government to compliance with the Constitution.
“Let us not keep silent while the slippery slope of replicating the events of emergency rule in the old Western Region in 1962 unfold before our very eyes. I appeal to all patriots and voices of reason to join in calling an end to this gross violation of the Constitution and disrespect for the rule of law.”
President Bola Tinubu is facing an uphill battle in his bid to secure two-thirds majority in the national assembly to approve his declaration of emergency rule in Rivers state, TheCable can report.
On Tuesday, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the south-south state, citing the protracted political crisis.
The president controversially suspended Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state, Ngozi Odu, his deputy, and all house assembly members for six months.
Tinubu nominated Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice-admiral and former chief of naval staff, as the administrator.
For the emergency rule to take effect, section 305 (2) of the constitution states that the president must transmit the proclamation to the senate president and the speaker of the house of representatives.
There is a raging debate on where the president derived the power to suspend an elected governor from as this is not expressly provided for in the 1999 constitution.
There is also no provision for the appointment of an administrator in the constitution, although President Olusegun Obasanjo set the disputed precedent.
TWO-THIRDS ROADBLOCK
Section 305 (6) stipulates that a “proclamation issued by the President under this section shall cease to have effect (b) if it affects the Federation or any part thereof and within two days when the National Assembly is in session, or within ten days when the National Assembly is not in session, after its publication, there is no resolution supported by two-thirds majority of all the members of each House of the National Assembly approving the proclamation.”
With 360 members in the green chamber and 109 in the red chamber, Tinubu needs at least 240 votes in the house of reps and 73 in the senate for his proclamation to stand.
On the contrary, it takes only 36 senators to defeat the proclamation.
Even if the senate passes it, 121 reps can vote it down.
Sources in the national assembly told TheCable that the president’s foot soldiers are struggling to get the numbers.
Owing to the insufficient numbers, the senate on Wednesday deferred the motion to Thursday.
Sources say many lawmakers remain unconvinced about the necessity and legality of Tinubu’s action which they believe could set a dangerous precedent.
An insider said lawmakers are divided along party lines, with opposition members and even some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) wary of endorsing the emergency rule.
If the president fails to secure the two-thirds majority in both chambers to approve the emergency rule by Thursday as stipulated in the constitution, Tinubu will be forced to revoke his proclamation, effectively restoring Fubara and his administration.
QUORUM QUAGMIRE
Another major challenge, some lawmakers told TheCable, is that both the senate and house of reps are struggling to form a quorum because many members are out of the country.
A significant number of the lawmakers are in Saudi Arabia observing the lesser hajj and Ramadan fasting.
The quorum for senate is 37 while that of the house is 120.
“Even if we manage to form a quorum, the constitution says the vote shall involve all members — meaning 109 in the senate and 360 in the house,” a member of the house of reps told TheCable.
The leaders of the national assembly were collecting signatures on Wednesday night so that members can vote in absentia — but some lawmakers have pointed out that it will be unconstitutional.
Section 305 (2) of the 1999 constitution stipulates that president of the senate and the speaker of the house shall “convene” or “arrange for a meeting” to consider the situation “and decide whether or not to pass a resolution approving the proclamation”.
“There is no provision for absentee or WhatsApp voting,” a senator told TheCable on Wednesday night.
“Every member will stand up and declare if they are in support of or against the declaration of the state of emergency.”
‘A BIG MISCALCULATION’
An APC senator told TheCable that the president did not do his homework before declaring the state of emergency “and he has now put us in a difficult situation”.
The constitution stipulates in subsection 6 that for the proclamation to have effect, it must be approved within two days if the national assembly is in session — or ten days if it is not.
“We had adjourned till Wednesday when the president made the announcement, so automatically we are in session and that means we have to vote within two days, latest Thursday,” he said.
“If he had co-ordinated well with us, we would have adjourned indefinitely before the proclamation — and that means we would have had 10 days to get our act together and gather the numbers.”
On Tuesday night, after the president declared the emergency rule, Akin Rotimi, spokesperson of the house of representatives, said Tinubu consulted the national assembly before the announcement.
Rotimi added that Tinubu’s letter informing the house of representatives of his decision, and seeking approval on the state of emergency in Rivers in line with section 305 of the constitution, has been transmitted to the green chamber and would be read during plenary on Wednesday for further legislative action.
However, the letter was not read on the floor of the green chamber on Wednesday.
The senate stepped down a motion for the consideration of the emergency rule during Wednesday’s plenary.
The motion, listed as the first item for discussion, was put on hold before any debate could take place.
Ibok-Ete Ibas, the newly sworn-in sole administrator of Rivers, says he will work with all stakeholders to ensure that peace and stability is restored in the state.
Ibas, a retired vice admiral, was sworn in as the sole administrator of Rivers state by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday.
His swearing-in follows the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers by Tinubu, and further suspension of Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state; his deputy, Ngozi Odu; and members of the state’s legislature.
Rivers state has been embroiled in a protracted political crisis due to power struggle between Fubara and Nyesom Wike, his predecessor and minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), over control of the political structure of the state.
Speaking on Wednesday shortly after his swearing-in, Ibas said Tinubu has spelt out his assignment in Rivers.
“First of all, I think we know the circumstances that led to where we are here,” he said.
“Mr. President made it very clear in his broadcast that the main issue is maintaining law and order in the state.
“I think for any meaningful activities to take place in Rivers state, the utmost task is that I will have to work together with all other stakeholders to ensure that we bring peace, order and security and stability to the people and government of Rivers state and Nigeria at large.”
Meanwhile, the senate has postponed a decision on approving the declaration of a state of emergency in the state until Thursday, after a rowdy session in the
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has refuted reports of an explosion at the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) in Rivers State urging the media and the public to disregard the report.
Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, Olufemi Soneye made the clarification in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
The company clarified that what occurred was a flare incident, which has since been fully contained.
“There is no danger or health hazard to staff, the surrounding communities,
or the environment,” the statement said.
NNPC Ltd, in the statement urged the media and the public to disregard any reports suggesting an explosion at the refinery, maintaining that they are entirely false.
LEADERSHIP recalls that the rumoured explosion at the Port Harcourt Refinery was fueled by the explosion that rocked a major oil pipeline, the Trans-Niger Pipeline (TNP), at Bodo, Gokana local government area of Rivers State on Tuesday.
Hours after, another explosion occurred at an oil facility in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area of the state, sending concerns about likely militant attack on oil facilities in the height of political development in the state
A group, Action Collective, has raised the alarm over what it called a desperate plan to compile fictitious names of constituents in Kogi Central senatorial district of Kogi State purportedly seeking for the recall of the lawmaker representing the zone in the Senate, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The Kogi Central-based pressure group, which made the revelation public on Wednesday, said it uncovered the alleged plan.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is presently serving a six-month suspension slammed on her over alleged misconduct and disregard for Senate rules.
Prior to the Senate suspension, the Kogi Central Senator had also accused the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of sexual harassment and frustration of her legislative efforts to represent her constituents.
In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, signed by its coordinator, Dr. Onimisi Ibrahim, the group said intelligence also revealed that allies of those fighting Senator Natasha in the Nigerian Senate were behind the plot to carry the fake recall exercise.
According to the group, findings revealed that the latest move was considered by Senator Natasha’s traducers as ‘nailing the coffin’ to prevent her from seeking justice which she is currently pursuing both in Nigeria and from the international community.
“We gathered reliably that a former governor in Kogi state has been contacted to carry out this evil plan. We also have an information that some ally INEC staff have also been recruited to commence the recall of Senator Natasha.
“This project which is said to gulped over two million dollars, will involve the recruitment of faceless persons from the various local government areas in Kogi State who would be paid to append false signatures on the purported recall paper,” the group alleged.
The statement also alleged that some highly placed staff of INEC have been paid huge sums of money to carry out and endorse the plan, adding, “that is why it is important to alert the public especially the civil society and Human Rights Activists including the Media, who are the watchdog of the society as well as the security agencies to remain vigilant and subject such documents regarding the planned recall to proper scrutining. A stitch in time saves nine!.”
The organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria, has condemned the President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it an unconstitutional overreach and a direct assault on democracy.
In a joint statement signed by NLC president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, and TUC president Comrade Festus Osifo, on Wednesday, the Labour Centres criticised the action, stating that it blatantly violates part II, Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and undermined the principles of democratic governance.
The two labour leaders warned that such actions erode constitutional governance and create instability, adding that no democratic society can thrive when elected officials are removed arbitrarily.
Both NLC and TUC demanded that President Tinubu immediately revoke the state of emergency in compliance with Section 305(6) of the Constitution, which outlines the legal process for declaring and sustaining such measures.
They cautioned that the decision could have far-reaching consequences, including undermining national security, economic stability, and Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
Apart from the political implications highlighted by the labour centres, the two congresses also warned that the declaration would have severe socio-economic consequences for workers and businesses in Rivers State.
The statement read in parts, “The purported suspension or removal of the governor , deputy governor, and the State House of Assembly is not only unlawful but a direct assault on democracy.
“It sets a dangerous precedent, eroding constitutional governance and threatening the autonomy of subnational governments.
“No democratic society can thrive where elected leaders are arbitrarily removed at the whims of the President. This reckless move should deeply concern every reasonable governor and citizen who believes in the rule of law.
“We, therefore, call on Mr. President to revoke this unconstitutional declaration in compliance with Section 305(6) of the Constitution, which clearly outlines the legal process for declaring and sustaining a state of emergency.
“The President, as the custodian of the nation’s executive powers, must exercise restraint, respect constitutional limits, and act in a manner that inspires national confidence rather than suspicion.
“The labour movement will not remain silent while the livelihoods of workers and the well-being of ordinary Nigerians are threatened by political machinations.
“Given his storied background in political struggle, we urge Mr. President not to betray his democratic credentials by engaging in actions reminiscent of military-era authoritarianism.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested Alhaji Sirajo Mohammed Jaja, the accountant-general of Bauchi State for alleged N70billion fraud.
LEADERSHIP investigation showed that he was arrested in Abuja on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, alongside Aliyu Abubakar of Jasfad Resources Enterprise, an unlicensed bureau de change (BDC) operator, and Sunusi Ibrahim Sambo, a Point of Sale (PoS) operator.
They were arrested in connection with investigations of money laundering, diversion of public funds and missapropriation to the tune of N70billion.
It is noteworthy that the commission was also investigating the governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, regarding the matter.
Already, investigations showed that cash withdrawal of N59 billion had been made through various bank accounts opened and operated by the accountant-general on behalf of the state government.
LEADERSHIP learnt that the money was moved to Abubakar and Sambo, who in turn made cash payments to party agents and associates of the governor.
Also, it was discovered that the BDC operator Abubakar earlier jumped bail and has now been rearrested.
When contacted on the development, EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the arrests
Founder of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministries in Warri, Delta State, Prophet Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin, has yet demonstrated his commitment to supporting Nigerian youths, particularly members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Scheme with a N5million cash gift.
Every year, Prophet Fufeyin extends financial assistance to corps members who carry out their mandatory one-year national service in his church ministry, aiding their transition into post-service life.
At a recent ceremony, Prophet Fufeyin gifted N5million to the outgoing NYSC members who served at Mercy Television, the media arm of his ministry. This act of generosity underscored his dedication to empowering young Nigerians and providing them with resources to embark on new ventures after their service year.
This philanthropic tradition is not new. In November 2023, Prophet Fufeyin, through the Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin Foundation, donated ₦5million to outgoing corps members. Earlier that year, he had also provided ₦3million to the previous batch of corps members, reflecting his ongoing commitment to youth empowerment.
Meanwhile, the beneficiaries have lauded Prophet Fufeyin’s benevolence, describing him as a father figure to Nigerian youths. Many have expressed that his support significantly impacts their post-service plans, enabling them to start new endeavors without undue financial strain.
Prophet Fufeyin’s consistent support for NYSC members exemplifies his dedication to fostering growth and development among Nigerian youths, setting a commendable example for others to follow.
A petrol tanker has exploded along the Abuja-Keffi expressway near the Karu bridge in the federal capital territory (FCT).
The incident happened on Wednesday evening when workers, returning from the nation’s capital, were heading home.
It was unclear at the time of this report if there were casualties from the incident, but FCT fire service personnel arrived at the scene to extinguish the fire.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, quoted witnesses as saying many vehicles were burnt in the incident as people scrambled for safety.
“I saw the tanker coming at high speed, swerving dangerously before it crashed. Within seconds, there was an explosion, and fire spread everywhere,” Zagazola Makama quoted a survivor, who managed to escape from a nearby vehicle, as having said.
There has been no official statement from the FCT administration and the fire service about the incident
Barely 24 hours after he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, President Bola Tinubu is meeting with the sole administrator he appointed to run the affairs of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas.
Ibas arrived at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa at about 12:48 pm (local time).
On Tuesday, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
In a national broadcast, Tinubu cited prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats as reasons for the extraordinary measure.
The crisis, which had paralysed governance in the oil-rich state, stems from a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
As part of the directive, the President also appointed Ibas as the sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs until normalcy is restored.
Ibas served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Tinubu announced, “In the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State the governor and deputy governor of Rivers State has failed to make a request to me as President to issue this proclamation as required by section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect from today, March 18, 2025 and I so do.
“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.
“In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (retd.) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.”
Details shortly…
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The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, on Wednesday alleged that the now-suspended Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, tele-guided militants to blow up pipelines in the state.
Fagbemi was accused while defending President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency hours earlier.
He said although the governor was not directly culpable, he failed to dissuade the militants from vandalising the pipeline.
He said, “We are in a democracy. There were what I will call telegraphing of the militants, I will say, by the governor. And the reason I say so is, when he began, he said oh, he will let them know when it was time to act.
“Let us say it was false. Did he come out to disown them? The answer is no. And a week later, they swung into action. You saw or witnessed the vandalisation of oil pipelines.”
Fagbemi argued that with the nation almost reliant on crude oil, anyone “touching” the pipeline is not only an enemy of Rivers but Nigeria.
The minister said Fubara and the members of the state House of Assembly had to be suspended as they failed to ensure a conducive atmosphere for governance in the state.
Tinubu had on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
In his national broadcast, Tinubu cited prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats as reasons for the extraordinary measure.
The crisis, which has paralysed governance in the oil-rich state, stems from a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
As part of the directive, the President also appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.) as the sole administrator to oversee the state’s affairs until normalcy is restored. Ibas served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Rivers political turmoil escalated after Fubara demolished the state’s House of Assembly complex in December 2023, leading to a prolonged battle over the legitimacy of the legislative arm.
The crisis deepened when 27 lawmakers, loyal to Wike, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, prompting legal disputes over their status.
On February 28, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that the lawmakers remained valid members of the Assembly, faulting the governor’s actions as unconstitutional and tantamount to despotism.
The judgment noted that Rivers State had effectively collapsed into one-man rule due to the absence of a functioning legislature.
Despite the ruling, governance remained stalled, with the Assembly and executive failing to cooperate.
As of March 2025, the state’s annual Appropriation Bill had not been passed.
On Monday night, an explosion rocked a section of the Trans Niger Pipeline in Bodo Community in Gonna Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The explosion occurred near the Bodo-Bonny Road under construction.
Another explosion occurred on Tuesday at a pipeline manifold in the Omwawriwa axis of the Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of the State.
Citing fresh security reports, Tinubu expressed concern over the recent vandalisation of oil pipelines by militants, allegedly acting in support of Fubara.
Czech National Bank board member Jan Kubicek is "sceptical" about the inclusion of bitcoin among the bank's hefty reserves, wary of legal uncertainties and concerns around volatility of the digital currency.
CNB Governor Ales Michl put bitcoin up for consideration earlier this year, and the bank has begun an analysis looking into broadening the asset classes it holds in its reserves portfolio.
"We will assess different classes of assets. Bitcoin is just one of them," Kubicek said in an interview on Tuesday. "My position is rather sceptical about bitcoin."
He said bitcoin's legal status was one concern, and that direct ownership would mean developing many new processes in accounting or auditing, for example.
Volatility was another worry and assessing market price developments was difficult, he said.
"We cannot be certain that bitcoin's volatility in the coming years will mirror the patterns observed over the past decade because I suspect that, if more institutional investors accept bitcoin as an investment asset, it will start to behave differently from what we have seen so far."
The bank's study on new asset classes could come by October, Kubicek said.
Holdings of international corporate bonds could be explored, he said, as well as the possibility of investing in more targeted equity indices, such as for technology, and property investment funds.
CNB Vice Governor Eva Zamrazilova has said bitcoin is not a suitable asset for reserves, while European Central Bank boss Christine Lagarde has also said Europe's central banks are not the place for it.
The Czech central bank's reserves - at 142.8 billion euros ($155.75 billion) - are around 45% of gross domestic product, and it has diversified holdings in recent years, gradually purchasing gold, and shifting a larger portion of the portfolio into equities.
($1 = 0.9168 euros)
(Reporting by Jason Hovet; Editing by Rachna Uppal)
[(Reuters]
The U.S. State of North Dakota is close to creating a licensing regime for crypto ATMs after its Senate passed a bill that provides a regulatory framework for the industry.
Originally introduced on Jan. 15, House Bill 1447 aims to protect consumers from scams involving crypto ATMs by mandating operators to issue on-screen fraud warnings to users, obtain money transmitter licenses, use blockchain analytics software to detect and combat fraud, as well as submit quarterly reports on kiosk locations and transactions.
Additionally, operators must appoint a compliance officer.
A report by TRM Labs found that crypto ATMs have facilitated at least $160 million in illicit transactions since 2019, CoinDesk previously reported, with law enforcement worldwide viewing them as a major money laundering and scam risk.
FTC data also shows a nearly tenfold rise in bitcoin ATM scam losses since 2020.
In the United Kingdom, the Financial Conduct Authority, the country's markets regulator, has been increasing scrutiny on the sector with crackdowns on unregistered operators.
In 2024, the FCA charged Olumide Osunkoya for running illegal crypto ATMs that processed $3.4 million, marking the first such prosecution in the country. Osunkoya was recently sentenced to four years for his role in the illegal crypto ATM network, and was also convicted for forgery, using false identity documents, and possessing criminal property.
With rising fraud and regulatory scrutiny, the number of crypto ATMs are not growing despite BTC's price growth in 2024. Market data from CoinATMRadar shows that the number of crypto ATMs in the U.S. has been roughly flat since 2022.
[CoinDesk]
The Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDPGF) has vowed to challenge the suspension of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and other elected officials of the state in court.
On Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu declared a State of Emergency in Rivers, suspending the governor, his deputy and members of the State House of Assembly.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, the PDP governors asked the President to accept that he had made a mistake and reverse the decision.
The forum accused the President of bias, noting his failure to acknowledge the role played by his Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in fueling the political crisis in Rivers.
Part of the statement said, “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.
“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.
“We state categorically that this unwarranted but premeditated attack on Rivers State and the Peoples Democratic Party and other opposition parties is today, the greatest threat to democracy in our dear country.
“Nigeria and it is an ill wind that will blow no one any good. It is a dangerous course of action that will not only endanger our hard won democracy, but will exacerbate the crises in the nation, deepen mistrust, elevate security threats, destroy the economy, and our national cohesion and stability.”
The Governors also said ” 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.
“Mr President is therefore called upon to listen to wise counsel and the voice of reason, as well as accept that he made grevious mistakes and acted in haste, and reverse this atrocious and retrograde decision before it is too late.”
[DailyTrust]