Unconstitutional And Illegal!” – El-Rufai Condemns Tinubu’s Move Against Fubara

In a nationwide address on Tuesday, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended all elected officials for an initial six-month period. However, in a statement released on Wednesday night, El-Rufai argued that the Nigerian Constitution does not grant the president the power to suspend an elected governor.

He warned that allowing a president to assume such authority undermines democratic federalism and sets a dangerous precedent. While acknowledging the security challenges in Rivers State, El-Rufai emphasized that a state of emergency should focus on empowering security agencies rather than dismantling democratic institutions.

Citing a Supreme Court ruling in Dariye vs. Attorney General of the Federation, El-Rufai reaffirmed that the suspension of elected officials is unconstitutional. He urged Tinubu to reconsider the decision, reminding him of his past opposition to similar moves by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

El-Rufai concluded by calling on Nigerians to reject what he described as a “gross violation of the Constitution” and to prevent the country from repeating the mistakes of the 1962 emergency rule in the old Western Region.