The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm over the Supreme Court’s ruling upholding the six-month Rivers State emergency, warning that the judgment threatens Nigeria’s democratic foundations.
The opposition party expressed concern that the apex court’s decision, which affirmed the suspension of a democratically elected governor and state lawmakers, could weaken Nigeria’s federal structure and pave the way for authoritarian governance.
The Supreme Court delivered the judgment in a suit filed in April by PDP governors challenging the constitutionality of President Bola Tinubu’s move to suspend Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Prof. Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly amid a prolonged political crisis.
During the emergency, the President appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Sole Administrator to manage state affairs for six months. At the time, Fubara was a PDP member, prompting governors elected on the party’s platform to initiate legal action against the federal government. The emergency expired on September 23, with Fubara and other elected officials having since resumed their duties.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court affirmed the President’s authority under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution to declare a state of emergency and take “extraordinary measures,” including temporarily suspending elected officials to restore peace and security. The decision was delivered by a six-to-one majority, with Justice Obande Ogbuinya dissenting, arguing that emergency powers do not extend to suspending democratically elected officeholders.
Reacting, the PDP warned that the judgment poses a serious threat to democracy, constitutional order, and federalism. In a statement by National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the party cautioned that the ruling could embolden the federal government to undermine state autonomy and dismantle elected institutions under the guise of restoring security.
The party emphasized that the Constitution empowers only state Houses of Assembly or courts to remove governors during their terms, and that validating suspensions via emergency powers creates a dangerous pathway for executive overreach.
“To hold otherwise is to allow a President, with support from the National Assembly, to compel political alignment through emergency powers in ways not envisaged by the Constitution”, the PDP said.
The party further warned that the ruling could reverse Nigeria’s democratic gains, making state governments subordinate to the federal government and forcing political survival through alignment with the ruling party.
The PDP cautioned that if unchecked, the ruling could fundamentally alter the balance of power between the federal and state governments, undermining Nigeria’s hard-won democratic framework. It urged Nigerians, civil society and political stakeholders to remain vigilant, warning that emergency powers should not be used as a tool for political control or to subvert the Constitution.
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