Rivers crises: Obi to Akpabio, Abbas, Act in the interest of democracy
By Ndukaku Ihe
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has urged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas to ensure that the National Assembly acts in interest of democracy while considering the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.
In an open letter to Akpabio and Abbas, yesterday, Obi cautioned that the suspension of Rivers governor, Siminalayi Fubara, the deputy governor, Ngozi Odu and the state House of Assembly was “ultra vires”, and capable of fostering a culture of impunity in the country.
President Tinubu had on Tuesday declared emergency rule in Rivers State and suspended elected officials in the state for a period of six months, as a result of the political crises in the state.
But Obi said the situation requires the intervention of the National Assembly to save the country’s democracy and charged the federal legislature to take a dispassionate look at the situation and act in the interest of Rivers people and democracy.
The letter read in part : “Your Excellencies, I am moved to come to you, the heads of our legislative branch, in this form, because of the present critical situation in the country that needs your urgent and vital intervention to save our democracy.
“President Bola Tinubu’s Tuesday intervention in the ongoing Rivers State political crisis through a declaration of a state of Emergency that led to the removal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara; this is clearly an ultra vires action capable of fostering a culture of impunity which your arm
of government, the Legislature, is established to forestall.
“The legislature checks potential executive abuse of power through many means including the ability to override executive actions through vetoes.
“The legislature’s override of executive actions, such as vetoes of legislation, demonstrate its power to check possible abuse of executive’s authority.
The separation of powers, where the legislative, executive, and judicial branches each have distinct functions and powers, is a fundamental principle of democracy designed to prevent any one branch from becoming too dominant.
“The legislature’s role in checking possible executive abuses or excesses is crucial for maintaining a balanced and accountable government, preventing potential tyranny and ensuring that the executive branch operates within the bounds of the law.
“This situation throws a huge challenge on the two of you as the heads of the legislative arm of the country. I urge you, therefore, to take a dispassionate look at the situation in Rivers State and ensure that you deploy your arm of government properly in the interest of the people of Rivers State and our democracy.
“Nigerians and all lovers of democracy globally are looking up to you to correct this anomaly and show that you operate within the tenets of genuine democracy.”
