The Opobo Council of Chiefs, kinsmen of suspended Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has criticised the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State.
The council described Fubara’s suspension as an affront to democracy, saying that President Bola Tinubu’s action was a gross abuse of power.
Vice Chairman of Opobo Council of Chiefs, Edwin Brown, made the remark while speaking on the sideline at an emergency stakeholders’ congress of the Ijaw National Congress held on Thursday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Brown said the suspension of Fubara, his Deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly, was an unprecedented assault on the democratic process.
He argued that suspending an elected governor and the state legislature not only undermined the mandate given by the electorate but also posed a significant threat to the political stability of the state.
Brown further declared the suspension as “an aberration and travesty of the constitution.”
He said, “Even though the Nigerian Constitution grants the President powers to declare a state of emergency under Section 305, it does not authorise the suspension of democratically elected officials, such as governors or members of the legislature.
“The proper procedure for removing a governor is outlined in Section 188 of the Constitution, which requires legislative processes rather than executive fiat.
“The unconstitutional suspension of democratically elected government officials is a slow but surely dismantling of democratic structures. This will not help our fledgling democracy, but will destroy all the gains so far made in this democratic dispensation.
“This is not just about Governor Fubara; it is about every citizen of Rivers State who participated in a democratic election. Injustice in Rivers State is injustice all over Nigeria because we are all governed by one constitution.”
He expressed concern that such actions could set a dangerous precedent, eroding public trust in the electoral system and democratic institutions across Nigeria.
The Opobo Council of Chiefs’ vice chairman further articulated the historical context of the Ijaw struggle for representation, highlighting the community’s long-standing grievances regarding political marginalisation.
“For over 24 years, we have fought to regain our rightful place in governance. To have that struggle undermined by a unilateral decision from the Federal Government is not just frustrating—it is an affront to our identity and aspirations as Ijaw people,” Brown stated.
He therefore called for a united front among Ijaw leaders and communities, urging them to resist any attempts to divide or silence their voices.
