Actor and former spokesperson for the Labour Party, Kenneth Okonkwo, has labeled President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State as illegal and unconstitutional. Reacting to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the state’s lawmakers for six months, Okonkwo accused the president of overreaching his powers.
In a post on X, the lawyer emphasized that restoring peace should not require the removal of elected representatives. He referenced the 2013 State of Emergency declaration in the northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe by former President Goodluck Jonathan, noting that democratically elected officials were not removed from office at that time.
“Security in Nigeria is the exclusive responsibility of the Federal Government, which controls all security forces. The Governor has no police to command. Blaming the Governor for the security failures in Rivers is misplaced,” Okonkwo said.
He further argued that if Tinubu were serious about accountability, the punishment should extend to members of his own cabinet. Okonkwo called on the National Assembly to reject the “illegal” removal of Rivers State’s elected officials, describing it as undemocratic.
“There’s nothing extraordinary happening in Rivers State. It’s a gang-up of state looters against a Governor who refused to give them control of the state’s resources. They’ve been trying to remove him unsuccessfully, thanks to the support of the people of Rivers. Now, the President is attempting to do so through the back door,” Okonkwo continued.
He concluded by urging all democratic forces to oppose this undemocratic act. “It’s unfortunate that a sitting President would aid in undermining our democracy,” Okonkwo said.