From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The PDP alleged that the declaration of emergency rule was part of a grand plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 general elections.

Chairman, PDP Caretaker Committee for the South South, Emma Ogidi, stated this when he addressed journalists at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

This is as the opposition party implored members of the National Assembly to override the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State, noting that it is unconstitutional to suspend an elected governor and other elected officials in a state.

Ogidi claimed that there was a plan by the ruling party to “capture” all the PDP controlled states in the South South in 2027. Apart from Rivers, other states controlled by the opposition party in the South South are Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Delta.

“They want to capture River State. If you recall, the FCT minister had been saying he’s going to deliver River State. And this one, he’s not going to stop at River State. That is why we’re telling our people to be very careful. We’re going to tell our governors to watch it. His target now is the South South. So,  we are calling on you all,  to let the whole world know that this is the 2027 agenda. Nothing else.”

The PDP Governors Forum, in a statement by its chairman and Governor of Bauchi, Bala Mohammed, described the action as unconstitutional, illegal and  unacceptable for the president to suspend democratically elected officials of a state.

“The PDPGF has noted with concern the suspension of democratically elected officials in Rivers by the president. We state categorically that this is a threat to democracy.

“This is a premeditated attack on Rivers, the PDP and other opposition parties in the country. It is a great threat to democracy, and an ill wind that will blow no one any good.

“It is a dangerous course of action that will not only endanger our hard earned democracy, but deepen the crisis in the country.”

The PDPGF chairman added the president’s action would exacerbate the crises in the nation, deepen mistrust, elevate security threats and destroy the economy.

Similarly, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, accused President Tinubu of an alleged plot to suspend the constitution.

“The purported suspension of Governor Fubara cannot stand. It is unconstitutional, impracticable, invalid and completely out of the question as no provision of the Constitution empowers the President to dismantle a sub-national government or suspend a democratically elected state governor under any situation whatsoever.

“What President Tinubu is attempting to do is to suspend the 1999 Constitution, overturn a democratic government and foist an undemocratic regime in Nigeria in gross violation of Sections 1 (2), 14(2)(a), 180, 217(2)(b) (c) and 305 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”

Ologunagba, while noting that  President Tinubu allegedly  violated the constitution by ordering that the proclamation of State of Emergency in Rivers State should take immediate effect without the approval of the National Assembly, charged the parliament to invoke its legislative power to stop the President.

“President Tinubu violated Section 217 (2)(c) by seeking to dismantle instead of aiding the civil authority.  Assuming without conceding that there was a breakdown of law and order in Rivers State, the President is only required under Section 217 (2)(c) to aid civil authorities to restore order; the civil authorities in Rivers State are the Governor, Deputy Governor and the State House of Assembly. The President cannot under the Constitution attempt to dismantle the civil authority he is required to aid.

“Governor Fubara under the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) remains the elected Governor of Rivers State. The PDP urges the military and other agencies to be on the side of the law and restrict themselves to their constitutional role of defending democratic rule and the Constitution.

“President Tinubu should note that a President is expected to be the father of the nation. In a situation of crisis what we expect to find is a ‘Resolver’ of problems not an “Exacerbator” of problems.

“Mr. President, your action now is beginning to hurt the people of Rivers State and the nation because at the time of the declaration of the state of emergency, River State was at peace. We don’t believe we can say so now with the declaration of Emergency,” he stated.