Tinubu's Anti-Rule of Law Agenda Exposed

The rule of law is the cornerstone of any democratic system, and Nigeria's Constitution explicitly establishes it as the guiding principle of governance. However, the Tinubu-led administration has been engaging in a blatant disregard for this fundamental principle, embracing an anti-rule of law agenda that threatens the very foundations of the country's democracy.

Key Takeaways:

• The Tinubu administration has unconstitutionally declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending the elected executive and legislative branches and appointing a sole administrator to oversee the state.
• The declaration of a state of emergency was made to enable Tinubu to grab power and control over the state's wealth, particularly its local government councils.
• The sole administrator appointed by Tinubu has been undertaking activities that are in direct contravention of the Constitution, including attempting to hold local government council elections without a legally constituted Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
• The Tinubu administration has ignored the mandatory 90 days notice requirement before an election, as stipulated in Section 20 of the RSIEC Law, and has announced an election date without formal notification for candidate nominations or polling timetables.
• This is a deliberate attack on the principle of due process and signals a severe erosion of the rule of law in Nigeria.
• Tinubu's actions are a clear demonstration of his desire to turn Nigeria into a familitocratic government model, where he wields complete control over state affairs.

Statistics:

• Rivers State has been under a state of emergency for six months, with no clear indication of when the state of emergency will be lifted.
• N22b has been allocated by the Tinubu government to install CCTV cameras for the surveillance of the Rivers State House, sparking concerns about the misuse of state funds for personal gain.
• The sole administrator appointed by Tinubu has been empowered to organise local government council elections without accountability or transparency.
• Nigeria's Constitution explicitly establishes the supremacy of the National Assembly and the states' constitutions, which Tinubu's actions are designed to undermine.

Sources:

• "The Nigerian Constitution (1999)" as amended
• "The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission Law, 2018"
• Nigeria's Supreme Court judgement in Governor of Lagos State v. Ojukwu
• Government documents and statements from the Tinubu administration and the Rivers State government.