John Alechenu
ABUJA: A pressure group, Advocates for Democratic Nigeria (AfDN) has urged the Supreme Court to expedite action on the petition filed seven governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging state of emergency declared in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Kazeem Idris, the group said it was made aware of the fact that the plaintiffs have since approached the apex court for a date to be set aside for the commencement of hearing on the matter.
This, it said was the basis upon which it is appealing to the court to expedite action by granting the prayers of the plaintiffs without further delay.
Idris stated that there is an urgent need for the court to grant the Governors’ prayers in order to save democracy and advance the course of our democratic jurisprudence.
The group noted that if allowed to go unchallenged, suspending democratic institutions and elected officials outside of laid down procedures would send the wrong signals about our nation’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law.
Idris said, ‘We understand that the plaintiffs: Governors of Adamawa, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Delta, Taraba, Zamfara and Bayelsa states based their summons on the eight grounds contained in the suit marked SC/CV/329/2025; where they want the Supreme Court to determine whether the President has the constitutional authority to suspend a democratically-elected structure in any state in Nigeria and whether President Tinubu’s state of emergency in Rivers State, was not in negation of the 1999 Constitution’.
“It is on this premise that we call on the apex court to hasten the process of properly interpreting the provisions of Sections 1(2), 5(2), 176, 180, 188, and 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, to determine whether the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, can lawfully suspend, or in any manner interfere with the offices of a Governor and Deputy Governor of any of the 36 component states of the Federation.
“And replace them with his own unelected nominee as a Sole Administrator under the guise of, or pursuant to, a Proclamation of a State of Emergency.”
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