March 25, 2025
A group under the aegis of Concerned Nigerians in Defence of Democratic Governance has petitioned the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, over alleged breach of law in the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.
In a letter addressed to ECOWAS Commission President, Omar Touray, dated March 24, 2025, the coalition, maintained that the proclamation of emergency rule in Rivers was antithetical to the sustenance of democracy.
The petition jointly signed by Aliyu Tanko, Bello Adamu, Nnamdi Ekwueme, Nicholas Upelle, Sadiq Alao and Oche Oche, was also addressed to the High Commissioners of Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo expressed concerns over the measure which led to the suspension of governor Fubara, his deputy and the House of Assembly.
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The coalition argued that the President’s action in Rivers was unconstitutional and could set a dangerous precedent for democratic governance in Nigeria and the broader West African region, “if nothing is done to address it.”
They alleged that Tinubu’s decision was politically-motivated to empower his ally, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to take control of Rivers ahead of 2027.
The group further accused the President of using the emergency rule to intimidate other state governors, warning that this could lead to wider instability in the country.
The group, warned that if ECOWAS failed to act, the situation could escalate into a major crisis, potentially leading to large-scale displacement of people and instability in West Africa.
