The African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Tuesday strongly criticized the Supreme Court’s recent judgment affirming the President’s authority to suspend governors and state assemblies during a state of emergency, calling it a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.
ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, warned in a statement that affirming the President’s authority to suspend governors and state assemblies during a state of emergency, calling it a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.
He further noted that the ruling “risks undermining constitutional governance, federalism, and the will of the electorate.”
The case stemmed from President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Bola Tinubu’s suspension Professor Ngozi of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Odu, and members Professor Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly of the state assembly amid political unrest.
Tinubu appointed retired naval officer Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Sole amid political unrest Administrator for. Tinubu appointed retired naval officer Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Sole Administrator for six months, effectively six months, effectively placing the state placing the state under federal control under federal control.
Although the emergency rule ended in September and the suspended officials returned to office, the Supreme Court later upheld the President’s constitutional power to take such actions.
Reacting to the decision, the ADC cautioned:
“The African Democratic Congress is alarmed by the judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which grants the President the power to suspend elected governors and state assemblies during a state of emergency. Although the ruling appears innocuously academic, it represents a potential inflexion point in our democratic development, one that may alter the nature of our.
Although the emergency rule ended in September and the suspended officials returned to office, the Supreme Court later upheld the President’s constitutional power to take such actions.
Reacting to the decision, the ADC cautioned:
“The African Democratic Congress is alarmed by the judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which grants the President the power to suspend elected governors and state assemblies during a state of emergency. Although the ruling appears innocuously academic, it represents a potential inflexion point in our democratic development, one that may alter the nature of our democracy forever democracy forever.”
The party argued that the judgment effectively concentrates excessive authority in the Presidency. It noted that while the Court cited safeguards such as proportional that the judgment effectively concentrates excessive authority in the Presidency. It noted that while the Court cited safeguards such as proportionality, legislative oversight, and judicial review, these checksity, legislative oversight, and judicial review, these checks are unrealistic are unrealistic in practice.
“With the President’s effective conquest of the National Assembly, and a legislature that has shamefully reduced itself to a mere appendage of the Presidency, legislative oversight is equally in practice.
“With the President’s effective conquest of the National Assembly, and a legislature that has shamefully reduced itself to a mere appendage of the Presidency, legislative oversight is equally implausible,” the implausible,” the statement read. statement read.
On judicial review, the ADC added:
“This very judgment has settled any has settled any doubt as to the nature of review that is now possible, when the highest court in the land chooses to priorit doubt as to theise the letter of nature of review that is now possible, when the highest court in the land chooses to prioritise the letter of the law over its spirit… With this form of judicial the law over its spirit… With this form of judicial review, the Supreme Court has inadvertently review, the Supreme aided the imposition of constitutional Court has inadvertently tyranny on Nigeria aided the imposition of constitutional tyranny on Nigeria.”
The party concluded with a stark warning with a stark warning:
“Constitutional tyranny does notal tyranny does not always arrive through military coups. It often advances always arrive through gradually, as rulers steadily erode democratic military coups. It often advances gradually, as rulers norms and institutions steadily erode democratic norms and institutions, precisely as we have witnessed over the past two years, precisely as we.”
