Labour demands reversal of Rivers emergency rule

The organized labour on Wednesday condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Festus Osifo, in a joint statement, demanded the immediate reversal of the emergency rule in the oil-rich state.

The action, according to the labour, violates the provisions of Part II, Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The unions insisted that the president’s action was an overreach of executive power.

They urged President Tinubu to revoke the declaration in compliance with Section 305(6) of the Constitution which clearly outlines the legal process for declaring and sustaining a state of emergency.

The president had on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich state.

He also suspended the governor, his deputy, and members of the Assembly for six months.

Tinubu had since appointed a former chief of naval staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd) as the state’s sole administrator.

The statement read: “The purported suspension or removal of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and the State House of Assembly is not only unlawful but a direct assault on democracy.

“It sets a dangerous precedent, eroding constitutional governance and threatening the autonomy of subnational governments.

“No democratic society can thrive where elected leaders are arbitrarily removed at the whims of the President. This reckless move should deeply concern every reasonable governor and citizen who believes in the rule of law.

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“The President, as the custodian of the nation’s executive powers, must exercise restraint, respect constitutional limits, and act in a manner that inspires national confidence rather than suspicion.

“Any decision that jeopardizes national security, economic stability, and democratic governance must be reconsidered.

“Nigeria has suffered the painful consequences of political overreach in the past, and we cannot afford to repeat such mistakes.

“Beyond the political and legal implications, this unjustified state of emergency will have severe socio-economic repercussions on workers and the masses. It will: Disrupt economic activities, forcing businesses to shut down or scale back operations, lead to job losses, wage cuts, and economic hardship for thousands of workers in both the formal and informal sectors.

“It will also create an atmosphere of uncertainty, discouraging investment and slowing economic growth in Rivers State and beyond and expose citizens to security risks, as history has shown that politically motivated states of emergency often escalate rather than resolve crises.”

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