By Cecilia Ogezi
… Calls for Immediate Restoration of Democratic Order
The National President of Al-Mushahid Initiative for Transparency and Accountability (AITA), Amb. Aminu Majidadi, has joined growing voices condemning the sudden removal of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his deputy, Dr. Ngozi Odu, describing the act as unconstitutional, undemocratic, and a dangerous assault on Nigeria’s fragile democracy.
Reacting to recent developments, including the swift installation of a new administrator in Rivers State, Amb. Majidadi questioned the Federal Government’s haste in dismantling the existing democratic structure in the state, despite the availability of legal and constitutional mechanisms to address internal political conflicts.
“This rushed move raises troubling concerns, especially given the perception that it may be aimed at massaging the ego of a political heavyweight. Such action undermines the will of the people and erodes public trust in the democratic process,” Majidadi stated.
The AITA President warned that by removing duly elected officials without recourse to constitutional provisions, the Federal Government has crossed a red line, risking a return to the dark chapters of Nigeria’s political history, notably the Western Region crisis of 1962, which triggered widespread instability.
Backing the position of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who earlier warned of the dire consequences of the action, Majidadi emphasized that even under grave security concerns, the law does not permit the suspension or removal of elected officials without due process. He recalled how President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during the Jonathan administration, strongly opposed a state of emergency that did not even suspend elected governors.
“It is ironic that the same President who once championed democratic principles is now presiding over actions that stand in clear contradiction to those values,” Majidadi lamented.
He urged President Tinubu to retrace his steps and reverse the unconstitutional action, stressing that the survival of Nigeria’s democracy depends on the consistency and sanctity of democratic institutions.
“AITA calls on Mr. President to act within the confines of the law and restore the democratic mandate in Rivers State without delay. The will of the people must not be sacrificed on the altar of political expediency,” Majidadi asserted.
He further called on civil society organizations, the international community, and well-meaning Nigerians to rise in defense of democracy, warning that silence in the face of illegality would embolden future acts of impunity.
