The fall of democracy and Tinubu’s imperial pronouncement, by Muhammad Gishiwa II
Democracy in Nigeria has taken a big wave and was dragged back into its infant years by the mastermind and power grabbing dictator. It was on Tuesday 18th March, 2025 at around 7pm when President Bola Ahmad Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following what looks like vandalisation of oil station when in real sense it’s vandalisation of Wike’s political career.
Sim Fubara was known to have been in a power tussle with his predecessor Nyesom Wike, which led to so many unwanted outcomes today. Although this has been a thing of Nigerias’ political landscape, we have never encountered anything like this. A situation where the predecessor finds himself to be more powerful as a political appointee than executive governor. —what do I know? Maybe he has the president’s nudes on his phone.
Well, the surprising thing with all this issue is the approval of the pronouncement by the National Assembly.
To be very honest with you, I was expecting the National Assembly, Governors Forum, and all the opposition party stakeholders to tackle Tinubu’s unconstitutional efforts of suspending elected officials, including an executive Governor.
His efforts to sabotage our 24-year-old democracy were not only dictatorial but also criminal to violate an existing constitution of the state.
The Nigerian Constitution does not grant the President the power to suspend an executive governor. According to Section 5 of the Constitution, the executive powers of a state are vested in the Governor, and the President’s executive powers extend to the execution and maintenance of the Constitution, laws made by the National Assembly, and matters with respect to which the National Assembly has power to make laws.
The Constitution also outlines the process for removing a governor, which involves impeachment by the State House of Assembly, not suspension by the president. Section 188 of the Constitution states that a governor may be removed from office for gross misconduct, but this process must follow specific procedures and involve the State House of Assembly.
In summary, the Nigerian Constitution does not provide for the president to suspend an executive governor. Any removal or suspension of a governor must follow the procedures outlined in the Constitution, which involve the State House of Assembly and, in some cases, the National Judicial Council.
However, despite incessant rigging and vote buying during the election process, this is the worst political criminality to have ever taken place.
Remember Joshua Dariye, the former governor of Plateau State, who was sacked by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2004? Okay, many people are making reference to his case, but it was very much different with what is happening in Rivers State.
Before Dariye was sacked, Obasanjo publicly criticised his handling of the crisis, citing his indecisiveness and alleged uneven-handedness.
In a nationwide radio broadcast on May 18, 2004, Obasanjo announced Dariye’s suspension, stating that his actions, or lack thereof, had contributed to the escalation of violence in the state. This move was seen as a significant step by the federal government to address the growing insecurity in Plateau State.
It’s worth noting that Dariye’s suspension was met with controversy, and some politicians, including Bola Tinubu, criticised Obasanjo’s decision.
Also, in May 2013, Tinubu himself condemned the declaration of a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa as a dangerous assault on democracy and a ploy to rig the 2015 election.
Now, with his own state of emergency in Rivers, is it really an assault to democracy? —or the rules and criticism only apply to Jonathan only?
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