El-Rufai Criticizes Tinubu’s Suspension of Rivers Governor, Calls It Unconstitutional

Former Kaduna Governor Warns Against Executive Overreach

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has openly criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’sdecision to suspend elected officials in Rivers State, calling it unconstitutional and a threat to Nigeria’s democratic federalism.

In a statement released on Wednesday night, El-Rufai argued that Nigeria’s Constitution does not empower the president to remove elected state officials. While acknowledging the president’s broad responsibilities, he insisted that these powers must be exercised within constitutional boundaries and should not include the dismissal of governors or other elected officials.

Security Concerns Do Not Justify Constitutional Violations

Addressing the security concerns cited as justification for the suspension, El-Rufai suggested that if the situation in Rivers State warranted urgent intervention, the president could have declared a state of emergency rather than dismantling democratic structures.

He described Tinubu’s move as a “wanton aggression against democratic tenets and the rule of law,” emphasizing that the Supreme Court had previously ruled against such actions in the case of Dariye vs. Attorney General of the Federation.

“Our country’s Constitution does not support this action because it is dangerous for an elected president to assume powers that extend to suspending elected officials at the state level,” El-Rufai stated.

Calls for a Reversal of the Suspension

El-Rufai urged President Tinubu to reconsider the decision and align with constitutional principles, warning that such precedents could endanger Nigeria’s democracy. He reminded the public that Tinubu, during his time in opposition, criticized former President Goodluck Jonathan’s state of emergency in the Northeast, even though Jonathan did not remove elected officials during that period.

“The responsibilities of a president are heavy, but they are also constrained by the Constitution. Security concerns must be tackled, but this does not justify violating democratic principles,” he added.

He further called on Nigerians, patriots, and legal experts to resist any moves that resemble the 1962 emergency rule in the Western Region, stressing that allowing such executive actions to go unchallenged could lead to further constitutional violations in the future.

A Dangerous Precedent for Nigerian Democracy

El-Rufai concluded by emphasizing that executive overreach undermines Nigeria’s democracy and that security challenges should be tackled through lawful means rather than the unconstitutional removal of elected officials.