Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, on Wednesday, defended President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, asserting that the president has the authority to remove any governor from office.
Fagbemi’s statement came a day after Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, citing prolonged political instability in the state. The crisis, which led to an attempted impeachment of Fubara by lawmakers, has been at the centre of political tensions in Rivers.
Since Tinubu’s proclamation on Tuesday evening, legal experts and political analysts have criticised the move as an abuse of executive power, questioning whether the president has the constitutional right to suspend an elected governor who has not been impeached.
However, while addressing journalists on Wednesday, Fagbemi not only justified the president’s decision but also stated that any governor deemed a threat to Tinubu’s administration could face similar action.
“If it happens again, I will encourage the president to do the same, maybe with greater vigour and vitality,” Fagbemi declared.
He further stressed that Tinubu’s government would not hesitate to invoke emergency measures in any state where governance issues threatened national stability.
“It’s Rivers State today; it can be anybody’s turn tomorrow,” he said.
“Let the signal be clearly sent for those who want to foment trouble, who want to make the practice of democracy and enjoyment of dividends of democracy a mirage to think twice,” he added.
The declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State has sent shockwaves across the country, as Governor Fubara had not been impeached before his suspension. Many legal analysts argue that Tinubu’s activation of Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution does not grant him the power to dissolve democratic institutions and impose an emergency administration.
Section 305 allows the president to declare a state of emergency to restore order, but it does not explicitly permit the removal of elected officials. The National Assembly has until Thursday to ratify the declaration, but many lawmakers were absent from Wednesday’s session, seemingly avoiding a debate on the issue.
Meanwhile, some state governors have hinted at seeking a Supreme Court ruling on the legality of Tinubu’s decision, raising the possibility of a judicial challenge that could overturn the emergency proclamation.