CHRAN Differs With FG On State Of Emergency In Rivers State
By Dennis Udoma, Uyo
Rights group in Akwa Ibom State, Centre for Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN), has differed with the federal government on emergency rule in Rivers State describing it as undemocratic, unconstitutional, and a threat to democracy.
But, President Tinubu in a broadcast to the nation Tuesday said he acted on the political crisis in Rivers State in line with the provisions of the law, saying no good and responsible government would fold its arms and watch the situation degenerate into violence.
Hence the application of the remedial steps prescribed by the constitution to address the situation in the state, which according to him requires extraordinary measures to restore good governance, peace, order, and security.
According to him, “in the circumstance, having soberly reflected on and evaluated the political situation in Rivers State and the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State having 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, 18th March, 2025 and I so do”.
CHRAN said that the President’s action violates Section 1(2), Section 11, Section 188 and Section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and rejected the imposition of ‘military rule’ in Rivers State under the guise of a State of Emergency, calling on the President to be more dispassionate in seeking to resolve the crisis in Rivers State.
The centre urges the National Assembly, to as a matter of urgency, review the declaration by the President of a State of Emergency in Rivers State which is a threat to the nation’s democracy.
