The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum says it will challenge the legality of the suspension of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara and the deputy governor by President Bola Tinubu in declaring emergency rule on the state.
Chairman of the forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, in a statement, said the forum aligns with the position of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in declaring the governor’s suspension unconstitutional, promising to subject Section 305 (3) of the 1999 constitution to judicial interpretation.
“This authoritarian shenanigan is unacceptable and cannot stand,” the PDP governors said.
Gov. Bala advised Tinubu to listen to wise counsel and the voice of reason, by accepting he made a grievous mistake and acted hastily, in declaring emergency rule and suspending the executive and legislative arms of government in Rivers State.
“We stand in solidarity with Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and the good people of Rivers State at this very difficult and trying moment of the state’s political history.
“There is no other time that our philosophy of touch one touch all is more apt than now. He who goes to the court of equity must go with clean hands.
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“Mr. President, your silence on the active role played by your minister of the FCT in the Rivers impasse is golden and enabling.
“He has become a law unto himself because he was playing out your script. Now we know. This is totally unstatemanly, biased, and divisive.
“We state categorically that this unwarranted, but premeditated attack on Rivers State and the Peoples Democratic Party and other opposition parties is today, the greatest threat to democracy in our dear country, Nigeria and it is an ill wind that will blow no one any good.
“It is a dangerous course of action that will not only endanger our hard-won democracy, but will exacerbate the crises in the nation, deepen mistrust, elevate security threats, destroy the economy, and our national cohesion and stability,” the forum said.
