Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately reverse his decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State and also suspending the governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu and the House of Assembly members.
The Labour unions said Tinubu’s action violated the provisions of Part II, Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and constitutes an overreach of executive power.
“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,” The NLC president, Joe Ajaero and TUC president, Festus Osifo said in a joint statement
“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.”
They added that Tinubu must act in a manner, which will not create room for suspicion.
“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.
“Any decision that jeopardizes national security, economic stability, and democratic governance must be reconsidered.
“Nigeria has suffered the painful consequences of political overreach in the past, and we cannot afford to repeat such mistakes.”
The concluded that the state of emergency will disrupt economic activities, job losses and Expose citizens to security risks, as history has shown that politically motivated states of emergency often escalate rather than resolve crises.
