Tinubu lacked power to reinstate Fubara, Rivers emergency expired by law – Kenneth Okonkwo

…Faults President’s claim on lifting Rivers emergency

Veteran Nollywood actor and Labour Party chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo, has faulted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his claim of lifting the state of emergency in Rivers State and reinstating Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Okonkwo, in a statement released via his official 𝕏 account on Saturday, argued that the state of emergency declared in Rivers State had “automatically expired” after six months, in line with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.

According to him, “Tinubu did not lift or suspend the state of emergency. The life span of any state of emergency is six months. Section 305(6)(c) states that a proclamation issued by the President under this section shall cease to have effect after a period of six months has elapsed since it has been in force.”

The Labour Party chieftain accused the President of exploiting the proclamation to seize control of the state’s local government councils through proxies.

He alleged that Tinubu deliberately refused to revoke the emergency even after Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Governor Fubara publicly declared peace in the state.

“Tinubu had the power to revoke it before six months when Wike and Fubara publicly declared that they have settled, but he refused to do it so that his regime would complete its illegality of usurping the power of the Governor to organise voodoo local government elections not known to law, using the Sole Administrator as a proxy,” he added.

Okonkwo further stressed that President Tinubu lacked the constitutional authority to reinstate Governor Fubara, insisting that only the people of Rivers State and their elected representatives held such powers.

“Another insinuation that he reinstated Fubara and other elected representatives of Rivers State is insulting to the sensibilities of the Rivers people.

“You cannot reinstate whom you cannot remove. It is only the Rivers people, through their elected representatives and the State judiciary, who can remove the Governor and his Deputy, not Tinubu,” Okonkwo added.