South-South Governors Reject State of Emergency In Rivers, Cite Constitutional Concerns

By Oluronke Kuku

The Forum of the South-South Governors in Nigeria has rejected the six months State of Emergency declared and imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, citing concerns that the current situation in the State does not meet the constitutional criteria for such a declaration.

According to a statement signed by His Excellency Senator Douye Diri, the Governor of Bayelsa State and Chairman of the South-South Governors’ Forum, the group acknowledges the President’s duty to maintain law and order but emphasized that the current situation in Rivers State does not satisfy the conditions outlined in Section 305(3) of the Nigerian Constitution, which includes war, external aggression, and breakdown of public order. 

The Forum also notes that the Constitution provides specific procedures for removing a Governor, Deputy Governor, and members of the House of Assembly, which may not have been fully considered in the current situation. 

They advocate for the resolve of the political disputes in Rivers State through legal and constitutional means rather than Executive fiat.

To address the situation, the South-South Governors’ Forum however proposed the reversed of the state of emergency in Rivers State and encourage all parties to remain calm and uphold the constitution.