The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a stern rebuke to President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of overstepping his constitutional authority by suspending and reinstating elected officials in Rivers State.
In a statement on Thursday, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, criticized the President’s recent move, declaring that the Nigerian Constitution does not grant the President the power to hire or fire state governors or lawmakers.
The backlash follows Tinubu’s announcement on Wednesday lifting the six-month state of emergency declared in Rivers State in March 2025.
With the declaration, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, including Speaker Martins Amaewhule, were directed to resume duties immediately.
“It gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State shall end with effect from midnight today,” Tinubu said.
But the ADC condemned the development, describing it as a violation of democratic principles and a dangerous precedent.
“The President’s decision to suspend and then recall elected officials is whimsically autocratic. It undermines the Constitution and democratic order,” the ADC said.
The party argued that the events in Rivers State over the past six months amounted to political manipulation, not genuine governance, adding that Tinubu’s actions masked personal or political interests behind a façade of national leadership.
The ADC accused the President of behaving as though governors were federal appointees, rather than officials elected by their people.
“Governors and lawmakers do not draw legitimacy from Aso Rock. Only a competent court can remove or restrain them, not a presidential proclamation or press release,” the party added.
The statement further called attention to what it described as the erosion of state autonomy and the emergence of an overcentralized power structure, warning that the Rivers situation could be used to intimidate other governors into submission.
“What happened in Rivers is not just about one state. It’s a message to all states that their loyalty must lie with Abuja, not with their constituents.”
The ADC also challenged Tinubu’s supposed concern for national security, mocking reports that he had ended his vacation due to rising insecurity.
“He didn’t return because Nigerians are being killed or suffering. He came back to personally oversee the return of Fubara and assert his authority,” the party alleged.
Calling on the Supreme Court and the broader judiciary to intervene, the ADC urged the courts to clearly define constitutional limits and stop executive overreach.
“Section 305 of the Constitution was not meant for settling political scores. It was created for true emergencies, disasters, insurrections, not political expediency,” it said.
“Unless the judiciary speaks up, future presidents may feel emboldened to interfere directly in state governance, eroding Nigeria’s federal structure and democratic stability.”
