Nigeria sliding dangerously into full-blown dictatorship, says Bode George
Former national vice chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has cautioned that Nigeria is sliding dangerously into full-blown dictatorship following the emergency rule in Rivers State.
Addressing journalists in Lagos, George condemned Tinubu’s suspension of elected officials in Rivers, describing the action as an assault on democracy.
He said the state of emergency was declared without any major incident of violence in the state, stressing that the President’s real motive was to enable the All Progressives Congress (APC) take control of the state through the back door.
Few months ago, the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd) appointed the chairman and six members for the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
Reacting, George described the appointments as problematic since they were made by an administrator, who according to him is in office illegally. He also said the implication is that an unconstitutionally appointed individual would be empowered to conduct local government elections in the state.
He challenged President Tinubu’s authority to suspend elected officials, recalling past criticism by Tinubu himself against former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“In 2013, when Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states without removing their governors, Tinubu who was then in opposition had accused him of setting in motion a chain of events the end of which nobody can predict”, said George.
He said there is nowhere in the Nigerian constitution where it is stated that democratically-elected officials could be removed by an emergency declaration. He also condemned the National Assembly’s approval of the emergency rule by voice vote, noting that the constitution mandates a two-thirds approval from both chambers.
The PDP Chieftain then urged President Tinubu to reconsider his actions, reminding him that power is transient and not absolute.
