The Washington-based Institute of Law Research and Development (ILAWDUN) has issued a stark warning to President Bola Tinubu, demanding the immediate reinstatement of suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and cautioning that the ongoing constitutional crisis could permanently tarnish Nigeria’s democratic credentials.
In a strongly worded statement, ILAWDUN Director Prof. Cyprian Edward-Ekpo, an expert in international law, condemned Fubara’s suspension and the subsequent state of emergency declaration as “an unprecedented assault on constitutional governance.” The institute argued that the measures lack legal justification since Rivers State never experienced the complete breakdown of law and order required for such extreme executive actions.
“History will remember this as the moment Nigeria’s democracy was hollowed out by its own leadership,” Edward-Ekpo stated. “Should the Supreme Court validate this suspension, it would establish a perilous precedent allowing future presidents to arbitrarily remove state governors – effectively converting our federal system into a unitary dictatorship.”
The warning comes as seven opposition governors challenge the suspension’s legality before the Supreme Court. ILAWDUN cautioned against any judicial maneuvering to avoid a substantive ruling, noting that “dismissing this case on technicalities would confirm public suspicions of executive interference in the judiciary.”
The institute’s intervention highlights growing international concern over the political crisis, which escalated after explosive allegations emerged linking Fubara to the bombing of the Rivers State Assembly.
Meanwhile, the governor’s wife has publicly distanced herself from a man purporting to be her husband in suspicious circumstances, deepening the mystery surrounding the embattled administration.
With Nigeria’s democratic institutions under unprecedented strain, ILAWDUN urged Tinubu to “swiftly correct this constitutional aberration” before the May 27 Supreme Court hearing, warning that the nation’s global standing and investor confidence hang in the balance.
Political analysts suggest the presidency faces mounting pressure to resolve the crisis as regional tensions escalate and international partners closely monitor developments.
