The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, stating that the suspension of Governor Fubara and other elected officials is unconstitutional ¹. The NBA asserts that the President does not have the power to remove an elected governor under a state of emergency, citing that such action would be an unconstitutional encroachment on democratic governance and state autonomy.
*Unconstitutional Removal*: The NBA emphasizes that the President’s declaration of a state of emergency does not meet the constitutional threshold for removing elected officials
*National Assembly’s Role*: The NBA calls on the National Assembly to reject any attempt to ratify the removal of Governor Fubara and other elected officials, stressing that approval must be based on strict constitutional grounds, not political expediency
*Dangerous Precedent*: The NBA warns that suspending elected officials under emergency rule sets a dangerous precedent that undermines democracy and could be misused to unseat elected governments in the future
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