₦airaland Forum

Rivers' Emergency Rule: Nigeria's Democracy Is Endangered -Obaze

BY BONIFACE Okeke

A former secretary to the Anambra state government, Mr. Oseloka Obaze has advised for urgent reversal of the the emergency rule imposed on Rivers state warning that the emergency rule declaration could derail the country's democracy.

A former United Nations senior official and chairman/chief executive officer (CEO) of Selonnes consult -a policy, governance and management consulting firm based in Awka, Anambra state expressed the view in a small obtained by LEADERSHIP.

He warned that the emergency rule imposed on Rivers state was sign that Nigeria was drifting unitary government; one-party state if not absolute authoritarianism.

Obaze warned against the dangers of allowing the country's democracy to crumble saying that the consequences would be grave.

Titled "When Government Goes Rogue with Impunity" the statement partly read: "With the recent declaration of State of Emergency in Rivers States, Nigerians find themselves in the most discomfited circumstance.

"Their democracy is halting as its core tenets and pillars are continually eroded. The state of her democracy is now critical and tending discernibly towards being hopeless.

"What is true and real of Nigeria, is that the unfolding State failure has been a gradual process.

"In her constitutional governance history, no singular event has epitomized the injurious and disquieting state of Nigeria’s democracy than the grossly unconstitutional declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State. The intent, premise and process were all wrong – all very unconstitutional"

Obaze stated that President Bola Tinubu was ill-advised to imposed the emergency rule in Rivers state.

"But his (President Tinubu's) wrong decision was further complicated by the vagaries of Nigeria partisan politics and the willful acquiescence by the National Assembly to an odious and dubious process, which they are statutorily meant to checkmate. That was a double fault", the former UN senior official asserted further.

He stated that the emergency rule declaration was done in violation of the Nigeria’s extant 1999 Constitution, which ought to be the governance ground norm.

" Inevitably, governance in Nigeria, at best, remains wobbly in all ramifications.

"The adjunct to the bastardization of the Constitution by those in the Executive and Legislative arms is that fundamental constitutional rights of Nigerians are in parallel being systematically trampled upon, without consequences and recourse. Rule of law, due process and the attendant rights are all being circumvented. Nigeria is a Constitutional Republic that no longer adheres to her laws and founding principles', Obaze lamented .

He continued "The Nigerian Government has visibly gone rogue and has become unwholesome, ineffectual and totally feckless and reckless. Leadership hubris is palpable. Governance is in disarray. State Capture is routine as is Cancel Culture. Presently, the Federal Government is treacherously tinkering with the administration of the States; while State Governors are whimsically usurping the rights and autonomy of Local Governments despite extant laws to the contrary.

" For most Nigerians, whatever residual hope there is, remains fleeting as suffering and disenfranchisement continue to gain toehold. With poverty now a norm, Nigerians are understandably disconcerted and discontented", the governance expert stated further.

Obaze urged all patriotic Nigerians to rise up to the challenges of saving the country by speaking up against bad governance and championing the course of good and accountable democratic system.

Tinubu is setting a trap for himself but he doesn't know

Decidetolive:
Tinubu is setting a trap for himself but he doesn't know

You that you know go and tell him now!

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