By Newsmata
Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has justified the state of emergency imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, stating that the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara destroyed democracy in the state when he demolished the state House of Assembly and governed without legislative oversight thus rendering the state ungovernable.
Holding Fubara solely responsible for the political crisis that culminated in the emergency rule declared by Tinubu, the APC, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka stated that “When he brazenly demolished the Rivers State House of Assembly, Fubara destroyed the very foundation of democracy in the state.
“When he ‘governed’ the state without a legislature, Fubara ended government in the state.
“When he expended state funds without valid legislative appropriation, Fubara stripped himself of all constitutional protections of the office of Governor”.
Arguing that governance cannot function without the coexistence of the executive, legislative, and judicial arms, Morka posited that Fubara’s actions left the state in constitutional limbo.
According to the APC, “There cannot be a governor without a legislature and the judiciary.
“All three arms of government, although separate in their constitutional powers, must co-exist in order to have a government known to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“As the Supreme Court confirmed, there was no government in the state and there had not been a government since Fubara destroyed the state legislature”.
The APC submitted that Tinubu’s intervention was not only necessary but constitutionally backed to restore governance and protect lives and property in Rivers State.
The ruling party said, “By his reckless actions, Fubara asked for and set the stage for this outcome. The declaration of a state of emergency by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was a necessary, constitutionally-backed measure to protect lives and property, and extend governance to the good people of Rivers State.
“The safety and well-being of the people is paramount at this time and must trump all political considerations”.
While commending the president for taking decisive action to prevent a total breakdown of law and order in the state, the APC said “Again, President Tinubu has demonstrated courage and leadership in forestalling a looming breakdown of law and order in the state”.