The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has cautioned President Bola Tinubu against interfering in the affairs of state governments, asserting that the Nigerian Constitution does not empower the President to suspend or reinstate elected governors.
The statement, issued Thursday by ADC National Publicity Secretary Bola Abdullahi, came in response to the lifting of a six-month emergency rule in Rivers State and the reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly.
President Tinubu ended the emergency rule on Wednesday, stating that Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and members of the Assembly would resume work from September 18, 2025. The emergency had been declared on March 18, 2025.
Reacting, ADC described the President’s actions as “whimsically autocratic” and a threat to democratic norms. The party argued that removing and reinstating elected officials through presidential decree undermines the autonomy of states and masks politics as leadership.
The party further criticised the six-month suspension, calling it a manipulation of constitutional provisions for narrow political interests. “Governors and legislators in a democracy derive legitimacy from the people who elected them, not from Aso Rock,” the statement read.
ADC warned that the President’s intervention in Rivers State sets a dangerous precedent, effectively signalling that state governments must align with Abuja’s directives to maintain authority. The party accused the administration of subordinating institutions to the will of a single individual.
Highlighting Section 305 of the Constitution, ADC argued that emergency powers are intended for genuine public danger — such as floods, epidemics, or insurrections — not for settling political scores or exerting control over elected officials.
The party called on the judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court, to take a firm stance on the matter to prevent a repeat of such actions and safeguard the independence of state governments.
ADC concluded that history would judge the judiciary harshly if it remained silent, warning that such precedents erode democratic governance and weaken institutional integrity.
