The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly rejected President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, condemning the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara as unconstitutional.

Tinubu announced the emergency rule on Tuesday night, citing the prolonged political crisis in the state. As part of the declaration, he suspended Fubara, his deputy, and the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, appointing retired Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as the state’s administrator.

In a statement on Wednesday, PDP spokesperson Debo Ologunagba criticized the move, asserting that the president lacks the constitutional power to remove an elected governor.

“The PDP outrightly rejects this attempt by the President to override the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and undermine the votes and will of the people of Rivers State by seeking to depose a democratic government and foist an undemocratic rule in the state,” Ologunagba said.

He described the appointment of an administrator as a direct assault on democracy and a violation of the people’s right to elect their leader.

“The action of Mr. President clearly borders on an attempt at state capture. It is the climax of a well-oiled plot to forcefully take over Rivers State, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) stoking crisis to ensure that democracy is ultimately truncated in the state,” he alleged.

Ologunagba also argued that the situation in Rivers does not meet the constitutional threshold for emergency rule, making the declaration “completely incompetent.”

“The PDP alerts that the unwarranted imposition of emergency rule in Rivers State is part of a larger, vicious plot to foist a siege mentality across Nigeria, decimate opposition, impose a totalitarian one-party state, and turn the country into a fiefdom,” he added.

He further stressed that Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, which governs emergency declarations, does not grant the president absolute authority to act unilaterally without approval from the National Assembly.

Calling Tinubu’s directive illegal, he warned that allowing an unelected individual to govern Rivers State could escalate tensions and destabilize the country.

“For emphasis, Governor Fubara was democratically elected for a tenure of four years, which cannot be unconstitutionally abridged,” Ologunagba stated.

The PDP urged Ibas to refrain from taking any actions that could derail democracy in Rivers State, warning that such moves could provoke a broader political crisis.