The concept of electorate sovereignty is fundamentally rooted in the principle that political power belongs to the people. And that eligible citizens periodically vote for their elected leaders in the two arms of government – the executive and the legislature.
The mandate of the elected officials can also be renewed by the electorate. Thus the simple act of thumb printing a ballot paper has significant importance on the run of government in a representative democracy. Therefore any person coming to power through any other means is usurping the power of the people to freely elect their leaders . In simple terms, it means coup d’etat.
However ,events happening in River state is a throwback to the dark days of dictatorship State. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu within the week announced the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State. He tried to convince Nigerians that he did that to save Rivers State from anarchy. He gave the destruction of building of the state house of Assembly and the bombing of oil pipelines as what propelled him to take the action. Sheepishly, the Senate approved the declaration of emergency that suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubura , the deputy governor and the entire members of the House of Assembly for six months.
Since then a lot of Nigerian politicians, scholars and lawyers have criticized the president action as overbearing and acting outside the provisions of the constitution.
The 1999 constitution as amended is clear on how to declare state of emergency in any part of the country.
Section 305 explains that the president can declare state of emergency should any of the following conditions surfaced. War or imminent danger of invasion, a breakdown of public order and safety requiring extraordinary measures. An imminent threat or large scale unrest. Natural disasters or other public dangers threatening the federation existence.
To the best of our knowledge, such conditions did not exist in Rivers State. Rather it is a contest for supremacy between a god father and a god son. This problem can be solved without the declaration of state of emergency.
It is a common knowledge that Chief Nyesom Wike, the FCT minister and former governor is hellbent in controlling Fubara as the governor
The Pond News is not distracted by whatever agreement between Wike and Fubara before the 2023 general. Our concern is that the constitution should be the guide and that there can never be two governors in the state. It is unfortunate that the state legislators allowed themselves to be used.
Today both the executive arm and the legislative arms are victims of the emergency declaration.
We are at pains that there are some states which are more qualified than Rivers State to be under emergency rule.
Few examples would suffice here. Half of Bornu state is controlled by Boko Haram. The president has not seen the wisdom of declaring a state of emergency. Plateau and Benue states are killing fields, the president is looking the other side. Furthermore, we remind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that former President Goodluck Jonathan declared state of emergency in some states without removing the governors.
Our plea is that the president should restore the constitutional order in Rivers State. The sovereignty of the people of Rivers State should not be abridged by the vaulting ambition of Wike who wants to dictate how the Rivers State people should live their lives. The president by any stretch of political imagination should not give the faintest impression that he wants to turn Nigeria into a one party state. Let democracy be restored Rivers State. The votes of the people must be respected and protected.
