State of emergency: It’s presidential coup, Tinubu lacks skills required to rule Nigeria – NNPP

Keep up with the latest news and be part of our weekly giveaways and airtime sharing; follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates. Click to Follow us

President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State has been denounced by the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP.

The National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, issued a statement yesterday in which the NNPP said that the president’s conduct was not only unconstitutional but also “an absurd political decision and a very dangerous precedent.”

Reviewing the political climate in Rivers State, the statement pointed out that it had obviously not deteriorated to the point where a State of Emergency was necessary. It went on to say that a more sensible alternative could have been used in place of the emergency regulation, aside from the state’s inherent political interest.

“Of course, the presidential fiat invoking Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution is arbitrary in the circumstances, to say the least, particularly on the conditions precedent and implications for democracy and the development of the country.

“It is clearly a dangerous precedent, which can only be interpreted as an absurd political manipulation on the part of the Federal Government.

“Why the rush to proclaim a State of Emergency without the conditions precedent as required by law? Doesn’t the president’s action vitiate the rule of law he talked about in his speech? Hasn’t he, by this rash action, shown us that he does not fully understand the long-term implications and lacks the requisite skills required to rule a complex country like Nigeria? Or is it about his party’s much-touted political interest in Rivers State ahead of 2027?”

“These are questions germane to this unfortunate decision, which, of course, sends frightening signals both locally and internationally regarding the rule of law and the overall state of things in our union.”

The declaration made it clear that President Bola Tinubu was misguided and that, rather than being perceived as vengeful and biased, he ought to have acted as a father figure to the parties involved in the Rivers State issue.

“Yes, this rational deduction could be gleaned even from the sequence of his speech, which gives away the Emergency Rule proclamation as a political orchestration toward a political end.

“This sort of action was what the NNPP had warned Nigerians and the people of Kano against, which it saw being orchestrated by some evil forces during the Emirate crisis. But for the maturity of the Governor and the good people of Kano State, who avoided being ‘tricked’ into taking their resistance onto the streets, the same scenario might have played out with an unjustifiable declaration of a State of Emergency on Kano State.

However, the NNPP recognized the economic ramifications of the State of Emergency proclamation, cautioning that it was a move that might cause unrest in the Niger Delta and have catastrophic consequences for the country’s economy.

“Now, the challenge is how to deal with a possible implosion in the Niger Delta over this matter. Are we seeing signs of this, given the incidents in the state in the last few days and how this could affect oil production as the nation’s economic mainstay?”

The party also encouraged members of the National Assembly to reject what it called a “presidential coup against a constitutionally elected government of the people in Rivers State,” and called on the Presidency to quickly reverse its decision.

The party concluded by urging Nigerians to be on the lookout for any acts or measures by the government and its members that would endanger the country’s democracy, which it claimed was hard-won and needed to be shielded from impunity, poor choices, and policies.

Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it. 
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.