Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove elected officials in Rivers State following the declaration of a state of emergency, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of democratic principles.
In a statement issued on March 19, 2025, El-Rufai argued that while the President holds significant authority, his powers are limited by the Constitution, which does not permit the suspension of elected state leaders.
“Some actions are so clearly unconstitutional that no justification can make them acceptable,” he asserted, warning that such a move undermines Nigeria’s democratic federalism.
While acknowledging the security concerns in Rivers State, El-Rufai maintained that the government should have focused on strengthening security agencies rather than dissolving the state’s leadership.
He cited a Supreme Court ruling in Dariye vs. Attorney General of the Federation, which declared the removal of elected officials unlawful.
El-Rufai also recalled that Tinubu had previously opposed former President Goodluck Jonathan’s emergency rule in the Northeast, which did not include suspending elected officials.
He urged the President to reconsider his decision in Rivers State to uphold democratic values and prevent further instability.
Warning of the dangers of setting such a precedent, El-Rufai drew comparisons to past instances where democratic institutions were weakened, including the 1962 emergency rule in the old Western Region.
He called on Nigerians, particularly those who value democracy, to reject what he described as an unconstitutional extension of executive power.