Tinubu To Supreme Court: I Took The Right Decision On Rivers’ Emergency Rule

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has informed the nation’s apex court, the Supreme Court that he made the right call be declaring Emergency Rule in Rivers state.

The president made the assertion in an affidavit he submitted to the Supreme court, saying he took the decision to avert the breakdown of law and order in the oil bearing state.

The affidavit was submitted  on behalf of the president by  Taiye Hussain Oloyede, Senior Special Assistant to the President (State House) and one official of the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The president’s made the response to a suit filed some well-meaning indigenes of Rivers state, who took him to court, challenging his decision to suspend all the democratic institutions in the state, including Governor Siminalaye Fubara, his Deputy, and memebsr of the state House of Assembly.

The president’s action, the magazine reported had been trenchantly criticized by not a few Nigerians who said he violated the Constitution.

Tinubu disagreed saying the democratic institutions in the state have broken down by the time he declared the emergency rule, explaining that the appointment of a Sole Administrator for the state prevented violence from erupting.

Notedly, Tinubu stated in the affidavit that his action was supported by the National Assembly as required by the law.

“There is a clear and present danger of an imminent breakdown of public order and public safety in Rivers State,” the President stated in the affidavit.

Adding that, “As at 18 March 2025, when the 1st Defendant issued the Proclamation, the executive and legislative organs of the Rivers State Government were still mired in conflict and there was no indication that the impasse was about to be resolved.

“Indeed, so intractable was the conflict that it paralyzed the organs of government in the state and jeopardized public safety and order.”

On May 20 some well-meaning persons from the state Yirabari Israel Nulong, Nengim Ikpoemugh Royal, and Gracious Eyoh-Sifumbukho, filed the suit at the Supreme Court, seeking to nullify the emergency proclamation by the president.

Joined alongside the president are the Attorney General of the State and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, a Senior Avocate of Nigeria, SAN, the state SOLAD, Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.) and Governor Fubara.