ADC has demanded immediate restoration of democracy in Rivers and slammed Tinubu over Governor Fubara’s suspension.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a scathing statement calling on President Bola Tinubu to immediately restore democratic governance in Rivers State, condemning what it describes as a dangerous abuse of constitutional power.
The party’s reaction follows recent remarks by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who recalled how former President Goodluck Jonathan upheld constitutional limits during a similar political crisis in Borno State, insisting that an elected governor could not be removed by presidential fiat.
In a strongly worded statement on Friday, the ADC declared that the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara is not only unconstitutional but sets a perilous precedent that threatens Nigeria’s democratic foundations.
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“What was unconstitutional under President Jonathan remains unconstitutional under President Tinubu,” the party stated. “The only thing that has changed is the apparent willingness of this administration to bend the law for narrow political convenience.”
The ADC praised former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, and then-Attorney General Mohammed Bello Adoke for resisting pressure to remove Shettima as Borno governor during the Jonathan era. The party contrasted that moment with the Tinubu administration’s move to suspend Fubara, describing it as “executive overreach” and a “blatant disregard for the rule of law.”
“Nigeria is not a monarchy,” the ADC continued. “Presidential powers are not absolute—they are restrained by the constitution, guided by precedent, and subject to public accountability.”
The party also rejected the justification cited by the presidency, that Rivers State was facing a breakdown of law and order. It argued that the challenges in Rivers are incomparable to the deadly Boko Haram insurgency that ravaged the North-East under Jonathan, yet even then, constitutional limits were respected.
“President Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Borno and Yobe but never suspended any elected governor,” the statement noted. “In contrast, President Tinubu’s actions in Rivers are not only unconstitutional but authoritarian.”
The ADC concluded by demanding three urgent steps from the presidency:
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Immediate reinstatement of democratic structures in Rivers State.
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A halt to all unconstitutional interference in the state’s affairs.
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A public apology to Nigerians for what it described as a clear abuse of executive power.
“The ADC will continue to stand with the Nigerian people in defense of democracy, justice, and the constitution,” it pledged.
