The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria have knocked President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing it as hasty, unconstitutional and an attack on democracy.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and his TUC counterpart, Festus Osifo, said on Wednesday that the emergency rule declaration violated Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution.
“This reckless move should deeply concern every governor and citizen who believes in the rule of law.
“No democratic society can thrive where elected leaders are arbitrarily removed at the whims of the President ATMs | Punch
Arguing that suspending the Governor, Deputy Governor, and the State House of Assembly has dealt a massive blow on federalism as it threatens the autonomy of state governments, they said in their joint statement that Nigeria is degenerating into a tyranny.
“We demand the immediate reversal of this unconstitutional state of emergency in the interest of democracy, economic stability, and the welfare of Nigerian workers.”
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives and debate have suspended debate on the president’s declaration while Tinubu on Wednesday swore in retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (retd.) as the state’s administrator to oversee governance during the six- month period that Governor Fubara alongside his deputy and members of the House of Assembly were suspended.
