AGF Fagbemi: Tinubu Can Sack Any Governor, Fubara Just the First
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, on Wednesday defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to impose a state of emergency in Rivers State, asserting that the president has the power to remove any governor from office.
Mr. Fagbemi’s statement, which lacks constitutional backing, followed President Tinubu’s directive removing Governor Siminalayi Fubara from office, citing prolonged political instability in the state. The crisis escalated as lawmakers attempted to impeach the governor over a series of political disputes.
The proclamation of emergency rule on Tuesday night triggered widespread backlash, with legal experts denouncing the move as an abuse of executive power. Critics questioned whether the president had the constitutional authority to suspend an elected governor who had not been impeached.
Defending the president’s action, Mr. Fagbemi not only endorsed the decision but also suggested that any governor who challenged the administration could face a similar fate.
“If it happens again, I will encourage the president to do the same, maybe with greater vigour and vitality,” the attorney-general declared.
He stressed that President Tinubu would apply the same measures to any state that resisted federal authority.
“It’s Rivers State today; it can be anybody’s turn tomorrow,” Mr. Fagbemi warned during a press briefing on Wednesday.
“Let the signal be clearly sent for those who want to foment trouble, who want to make the practice of democracy and enjoyment of dividends of democracy a mirage to think twice,” he added.
The president’s invocation of Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution to justify the removal of a sitting governor has been widely criticized as an overreach of presidential powers. While the section allows for emergency declarations to restore order, it does not grant the president authority to dissolve democratic institutions or replace them with military rule.
The National Assembly has until Thursday to ratify the declaration. However, many lawmakers were notably absent from Wednesday’s parliamentary session, seemingly avoiding the contentious debate.
Meanwhile, some state governors are reportedly considering approaching the Supreme Court to challenge the constitutionality of the president’s decision and potentially nullify it.
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