CLO Urges NASS To Reverse State Of Emergency In Rivers

Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has called on the National Assembly to reverse President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State in the best interest of democracy and as a safety gap to avert the conspiracy of undemocratic elements and practices in Nigeria.

The coordinator North Central zone of the organisation Steve Aluko made the call while reacting to the declaration of the state of emergency in Rivers State in Jos.

According to him, the development is an avoidable contraption if all the parties have acted promptly. He added that unlike the declaration of a state of emergency in Plateau under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Tinubu’s declaration is inconsistent with the letters and spirit of the Nigerian constitution.

Aluko further argued that the declaration is contrary to the judicial pronouncement of the Supreme Court and all indices of democratic governance as celebrated in the recent local government autonomy judgement made by the apex court.

“If the President and minister of FCT have acted in good fate the government and the people of Rivers state will not be held in this iniquitous quagmire.”

He also stressed, “We therefore call on the President to rescind this decision in the best interest of our constitution and practice of democracy.  The return to the sanctity of votes and Democratic governance remain the most civilize way to resolving the issues”.