NBA (The Nigerian Bar Association) has strongly condemned President Bola Tinubu’s decision to suspend Siminalayi Fubara as governor of Rivers State. NBA President Afam Osigwe reaffirmed this stance and urged an immediate reversal of the suspension affecting the governor, his deputy, and state assembly members.
Speaking on Channels TV, Osigwe described the action as unconstitutional. He stressed that the Nigerian Constitution does not recognize a sole administrator.
“The president must restore Fubara to power because his removal was unconstitutional,” Osigwe stated. “We do not acknowledge a sole administrator as the rightful occupant of the Rivers State Government House. The appointment was unlawful.”
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He also questioned the legality of the oath taken by the administrator. “When I saw him taking the oath of office, I wondered about its legitimacy. The constitution does not recognize such an administrator.”
Osigwe pointed out that Section 305 of the constitution remains clear. “The issue is not a lack of clarity in the law. The real problem is our refusal to apply it correctly,” he said.
Additionally, he criticized the National Assembly’s approval of emergency rule, comparing it to “placing something on nothing.”
Earlier, Osigwe condemned the National Assembly’s ratification of Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration in Rivers State. This decision led to the suspension of elected officials during a political crisis.
He argued that the constitution does not grant the president the power to remove elected officials under the pretense of an emergency. The NBA firmly believes Tinubu’s actions violate democratic principles and weaken state government autonomy.
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