By Kingston Magare
Political economist and former presidential candidate, Pat Utomi said it was sad the way the National Assembly expressly endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
Tinubu’s move which also sent packing the elected governor of Rivers State Siminalayi Fubara was roundly seen as a flagrant disregard for constitutional rule by the Nigeria Bar Association and several other bodies, they expected the Senate and the House of Reps to block the move.
But on Thursday both chambers voted unanimously to push through with the suspension of the governor, his deputy and the State House of Assembly. There were reports that the lawmakers were bribed with $25,000 and $15,000 respectively to approve the State of emergency.
Speaking on Channels TV Sunrise Daily Friday morning Prof. Utomi said Tinubu murdered democracy and the lawmakers buried it.
“Democracy was murdered in Nigeria yesterday. I cannot publicly say I come from a country that operates democracy, it’s not a democracy. Even the manner of it is so disdainful of the sensitivity of the Nigerian people.
“To do what they did yesterday was an insult to the Nigerian people. The National Assembly has become consistent in insulting the Nigerian people. We do not have a democracy anymore.”
Also former Anambra governor and Labour Party presidential candidate in 2023, Peter Obi stated that by endorsing the state of emergency, the national assembly prove to the world democracy does not exist in Nigeria.
“The parliamentary vote held yesterday clearly demonstrates that democracy, in its true sense, does not exist in Nigeria. Where there is no functional opposition, democracy cannot thrive,” he wrote on X.
“What we are left with is not a genuine democratic system, but one that is transactional, compromised, and, in many respects, resembles organised criminality.”
