A coalition of legal professionals under the banner Lawyers in Defence of Democracy has staged a protest demanding the immediate restoration of democratic governance in Rivers State, following the controversial suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly.
Led by Country Director, Barrister Uche Chukwu Udeh Sylvester, the group condemned Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in the state, describing it as unconstitutional and a serious threat to Nigeria’s democratic framework.
The protesting lawyers urged the United States and the wider international community to pressure the Nigerian government to reverse what they termed a “brazen usurpation of constitutional authority.”
In a letter addressed to U.S. President Donald Trump, the group appealed for global intervention to help restore democratic order in Rivers State.
They argued that the president’s move lacked justification under the Constitution, citing the absence of any clear and present danger that would warrant the invocation of emergency powers.
“In our law books, and we stand by this, no constitutional provision or statute gives the president the power to dissolve the structures of a democratically elected state government,” Sylvester said. “This is reminiscent of military rule, not the constitutional democracy Nigeria currently operates.”
The lawyers also criticised the National Assembly for endorsing the president’s emergency declaration, calling it a direct attack on Nigeria’s democratic principles.
They stressed that internal political disputes—like those previously witnessed in Osun State—were resolved through constitutional means without federal interference or the imposition of a state of emergency.
“Democracy is a learning process,” the group stated. “Issues of governance should be resolved through constitutional channels, including the judiciary, which has proven capable of settling such matters.”
On March 18, 2025, Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing escalating political instability and security threats, particularly the vandalism of critical oil infrastructure.
This move led to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and all members of the state House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
The federal government cited multiple reasons for its action, including the prolonged political feud between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, which led to divisions within the state assembly and an attempted impeachment of the governor.
The Nigerian Bar Association condemned the suspension of elected officials, asserting that a state of emergency does not empower the president to dissolve democratically elected state governments.
Several prominent Nigerians, including former President Goodluck Jonathan and Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, also slammed the move, describing it as an excessive use of executive power.
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