The Peoples Democratic Party has criticised the Supreme Court judgement affirming the President’s power to declare a state of emergency and suspend elected officials. In a statement on Monday, the party’s spokesman, Ini Ememobong, said the ruling poses risks to federalism and constitutional governance.
The party said although it respects the authority of the Supreme Court, it believes the interpretation of the judgement could undermine democracy. It argued that the decision gives legal backing to the emergency rule declared in Rivers State and the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly for six months.
The case, marked SC CV 329 2025, challenged the President’s power to suspend elected state officials and democratic institutions. The PDP said the constitution does not empower the President to remove or suspend a governor, even temporarily, outside actions by a court of law or a state house of assembly.
Also Read: FG Faults US Lawmakers Over Christian Genocide Claims
The party called on the National Assembly to introduce constitutional and legislative safeguards to clearly define and limit emergency powers. It warned that without such measures, state governments could become overly dependent on the federal government, weakening Nigeria’s democratic structure.
Leave feedback about this
You must be logged in to post a comment.