The Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDPGF) has vowed to challenge the suspension of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and other elected officials of the state in court.
On Tuesday, 18 March, 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a State of Emergency in Rivers, suspending the governor, his deputy and members of the State House of Assembly.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, the PDP Governors asked the President to accept that he had made a mistake and reverse the decision.
The Forum accused the President of bias, noting his failure to acknowledge the role played by his Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in fueling the political crisis in Rivers.
Part of the statement said, “We stand in solidarity with Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the good people of Rivers State at this very difficult and trying moment of the state’s political history. There is no other time that our philosophy of ‘TOUCH ONE TOUCH ALL’ is more apt than now.
“He who goes to the court of equity must go with clean hands. Mr. President, your silence on the active role played by your Minister of the FCT in the Rivers impasse is golden and enabling. He has become a law unto himself because he was playing out your script. Now we know. This is totally unstatemanly, biased, and divisive.
“We state categorically that this unwarranted but premeditated attack on Rivers State and the Peoples Democratic Party and other opposition parties is today, the greatest threat to democracy in our dear country.
“Nigeria and it is an ill wind that will blow no one any good. It is a dangerous course of action that will not only endanger our hard won democracy, but will exacerbate the crises in the nation, deepen mistrust, elevate security threats, destroy the economy, and our national cohesion and stability.”
The Governors also said, ”The Forum completely aligns itself with the position of the NBA and promises to subject Section 305 (3) of the Constitution to judicial interpretation. This authoritarian shenanigan is unacceptable and cannot stand.
“Mr President is therefore called upon to listen to wise counsel and the voice of reason, as well as accept that he made grevious mistakes and acted in haste, and reverse this atrocious and retrograde decision before it is too late.”
