On the backdrop of the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers state by President Bola Tinubu, a frontline legal luminary, Chief Albert Owuru has joined other well-meaning Nigerians in condemning the state of emergency, saying the emergency rule is an invitation of the military aganist democratic governance.
Owuru, in a statement signed by the Regional Director, Africa Without Borders, Dr.H.D. Abbas, and made available to this publication, said the unconstitutional suspension of the elected Governor of Rivers State to install a Sole Administrator is a representation of an army occupation of a State under the guise of invoking Sec. 305 of the 1999 constitution, when in real term, showed no state of war.
According to the statement, the issue in Rivers State is a mere political dispute between a godfather and a godson over revenue sharing and looting of the state treasury, which they accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Wike of being an interested party.
The group frown that the situation in Rivers State is more worrisome, with ominous signs of exposing the nation’s nascent democracy with already embarrassing National Assembly to the danger of military incursion and an abbreviation of games already recorded at the expense and detriment of the suffering masses.
Chief Owuru maintained that he was not surprised, because ” it is helped by the Supreme Court show of partisanship in withholding, delay and sitting on the important appeal and motion for summary judgment to fix a new date to decide the constitutional suitability of qualification by virtue of Sec.137 of the constitution, whether Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu is so qualified to continue in office as president.
The statement continued that in the light of evidence to the motion on notice in appeal No.SC/667/2023, which the 4th respondent joined on his volition, before being sworn into office by his All Progressives Congress (APC) led government, despite being tagged “active CIA Asset”, protected under the US Authority over his forfeiture of $460,000.00 fine for heroine drug traffic investigations
The statement further hinted that the delay and exposed falsification of Supreme Court records, including drawn orders are designed to deny the hearing of the substantive Appeal and outstanding motions that needed urgent intervention of the Chief Justice of the federation to fix a new hearing date to save Nigeria from this present state of quandary.
