NASS accused of endorsing executive lawlessness for backing emergency rule in Rivers

A pro-democracy group, the Coalition of Democrats in Africa (CoDA), has slammed the National Assembly for endorsing President Bola Tinubu's declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers, describing it as a “shameful endorsement of executive lawlessness” and a “dangerous precedent that will haunt Nigeria for years to come.”

The coalition expressed disappointment in a statement by its president, Ambassador Ibrahim Mustapha, after an emergency meeting in Abuja on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

It accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas of failing in their constitutional duty to check the executive branch's excesses.

The group said the National Assembly has surrendered its independence and become a mere tool in the hands of the presidency as opposed to standing as a pillar of democracy.

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CoDA argued that Tinubu's decision to suspend the democratically elected governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Nma Odu, and the state House of Assembly was a direct assault on Nigeria’s democracy.

It criticised the legislature for failing to resist what it described as an abuse of power that sets a dangerous precedent for governance in Nigeria.

“The National Assembly had a historic opportunity to stand on the side of democracy, but instead, it chose to rubber-stamp an illegal and undemocratic action by the President. By endorsing this unconstitutional act, Akpabio, Abbas, and their colleagues have betrayed not only the Nigerian people but also the very essence of constitutional governance,” the statement reads.

“This is not just about Rivers State. It is about the very soul of our democracy. If lawmakers can sit back and watch an elected governor, deputy governor, and an entire state assembly removed without due process, then no state is safe, and no democracy is secure.

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“Nigerians have watched for years as terrorists and criminals overrun communities in the North, killing and displacing thousands, yet no state of emergency has been declared there. But in Rivers, where a political crisis could have been resolved through dialogue and legal means, the President opted for brute force. The National Assembly’s endorsement of this move is disgraceful,” the statement read.

Group calls for international community's intervention

The coalition called on Nigerians and the international community to resist what it termed an “assault on constitutional governance” and to hold the government accountable for its actions.

“The National Assembly may have failed us, but the people of Nigeria must not fail themselves. We must remain vigilant, speak out, and demand the restoration of constitutional order before it is too late,” the statement added.

CoDA also reminded lawmakers that their actions would be judged by history.

“We remind Akpabio, Abbas, and all lawmakers complicit in this betrayal that power is transient. Nigerians will not forget those who stood against democracy when it mattered most,” it concluded.

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