Under the professional leadership of lawyers defending democracy, a group of lawyers took to the streets on Wednesday, April 30, demanding the restoration of democratic governance in Rivers.
The group called on the U.S. and the international community to withdraw its decision to suspend Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Rivers House House to the federal government.
The lawyers are led by their state director Barr. Uche Chukwu Udeh Sylvester believes that President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State is unconstitutional.
In letters to President Donald Trump, they urged him to intervene and force the Nigerian government to restore democratic rule in Rivers. They believe that the suspension of Forbala and the General Assembly is a difficult attempt to undermine the constitutional order.
Lawyers also condemned the National Assembly for approving the president’s ruling and described it as an attack on democracy.
They asked Tinubu to reconsider his position and allow Governor Forbala to continue his job as a democratically elected state governor.
The letter read in part: “In an era where democracy should be ruled, bringing a dividend to the masses, we find ourselves at a crossroads, and it is a moment of soberness that the constitutional order is estimated to be tested most passionately.
“This only happens in the days of military junta, but we are not within the firm sphere of military dictatorship. Currently, the country is under the rule of constitutional democracy that runs the presidential government system.
“President Bola Tinubu should not make a decision because democracy is a learning process and the judiciary has demonstrated its ability to solve problems.
“The president should allow state robots in each state to solve these problems. Until recently, a local government administration crisis occurred in Oxenia, which did not lead to a state of emergency.”
