The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has described as a “charade” the Thursday June 27, 2025 “peace meeting” hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, involving the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and immediate past Rivers State governor, Nysom Wike, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and the Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly Martin Amaewhule, insisting that it cannot override constitutional violations.
HURIWA said the reconciliation was meant to conceal the illegality of earlier actions by the president who on March 18, 2025, imposed a state of emergency on Rivers State, suspended the governor and his deputy, as well as the lawmakers. The president also appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as sole administrator to pilot the affairs of the state for an initial period of six months.
However, in a statement issued on Monday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA expressed shock and disappointment over the embattled Fubara’s decision to seek reconciliation with President Tinubu and Wike instead of pursuing legal redress against what it described as an illegal removal from office and the dissolution of democratic institutions in Rivers State.
Describing Fubara’s action as “cowardly and misguided,” HURIWA contended that he should have challenged his “illegal uprooting” in court rather than capitulate to a political arrangement.
According to the statement, “This so-called reconciliation cannot override constitutional violations. It is a smokescreen to legitimise the President’s unconstitutional actions, including the imposition of a Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Etteh Ibas (retd), for six months”.
HURIWA also took a swipe at the Supreme Court which it accused of “political partisanship” for allegedly stalling a case brought before it by over a dozen opposition PDP governors challenging the suspension.
The body claimed, “We have credible intelligence indicating that the Supreme Court deliberately delayed the matter, allegedly in agreement with President Tinubu, to allow time for a political solution aimed at bolstering his 2027 re-election agenda”.
Reiterating its opposition to the March 18, 2025, proclamation of emergency rule in Rivers, HURIWA described the suspension of Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the State Assembly as “absolutely illegal”, stressing that “There is no constitutional basis for suspending elected officials or dissolving democratic institutions under any of the 320 sections of the 1999 Constitution, as amended”.
Citing Section 305, HURIWA acknowledged the President’s power to declare a state of emergency but asserted it does not extend to the removal of elected officials, which must follow due constitutional processes such as death, resignation, impeachment, or incapacitation.
The group further noted that even if the offices of both the governor and deputy governor become vacant, the Constitution mandates the Speaker of the House of Assembly to act as governor for a maximum of three months, pending a fresh election by INEC.
HURIWA also emphasised that the failure of a State House of Assembly to function does not justify the suspension of democratic institutions, citing Section 11 (4) of the Constitution which empowers the National Assembly to temporarily assume legislative duties – not dissolve the legislature. “This so-called reconciliation cannot override constitutional violations. It is a smokescreen to legitimise the President’s unconstitutional actions, including the imposition of a Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok Etteh Ibas (retd), for six months,” the group said.
Knocking President Tinubu for alleged double standards, citing the lack of emergency declaration in Benue State despite prolonged violence and killings, HURIWA described the disparity as discriminatory and a violation of Section 42(1) of the Constitution, which prohibits political bias.
While it therefore warned that history would judge harshly the Supreme Court, President Tinubu, and Governor Fubara for what it described as “gross illegality disguised as political settlement”, HURIWA said “We remain committed to defending constitutional democracy in Nigeria and reject any attempt to normalise unlawful usurpation of power under the guise of reconciliation”.