Former Governor Amaechi has condemned Tinubu’s emergency rule declaration in Rivers, calling it a breach of the sacredness of Nigeria’s Constitution.
Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has again condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers, labelling it as not just illegal, but a “defilement of the sacredness and sanctity of the constitution.”
Amaechi also expressed concerns over the award of the coastal road construction contract, questioning the transparency of the process.
At the same time, he criticised the National Assembly (NASS), describing it as weak and ineffective, arguing that both the legislative and judicial branches of the government have been overshadowed by the executive arm, resulting in a lack of accountability in the country’s governance.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Fearless Leadership: A Panacea for Sustainable Development’, at Chapter-9 of the ‘2025 Akinjide Adeosun Foundation’s (AAF) Leadership Colloquium and Awards’, held on Thursday in Lagos, Amaechi urged Nigerians to stand up to the president on leadership accountability.
“This is where governance is not by law, but by the whims and caprices of an individual leader, like the current pronouncement of an illegal and unconstitutional state of emergency in Rivers State. And I argue that the Nigerian National Assembly is very weak. What is even more alarming is that the breach in this situation is not even about the law.
“The president didn’t just break the law. He broke the Constitution. Now, this breach of the Constitution is a breach in the sacredness and sanctity of the Constitution.
“The question is, we the people of Nigeria, we agree, we swear to this. We didn’t send the president to go to the National Assembly and break the law. The president looked at the whole of Nigeria and removed an elected governor of a state and appointed a military man.
“And the country continues. What happens? So you see why you’re not looking for fearless leadership, instead, you’re looking for fearless followership.
“You’re looking for fearless followership, because where you have fearless followership, Nigerians will have reason to say, no, the president has damaged the constitution. We will not accept it.
“So the president has seen how weak you are. That’s why, after the demonstration or protest you had about good governance, he increased the price of fuel. And typically in Nigeria, we move on.
“The collaboration of the National Assembly, especially as a weak institution, makes the power of the president unchecked. Nobody checks his power. Because most of the time, he doesn’t have the power.
“So, he just assumes that power, and you leave him to go with it. It simply means that the president can lock you up by ordering a weak institution like the police to lock you up. And you will rot in hell. You will rot in hell. Nobody will say anything. You have no means of even pursuing justice.
“Good government breeds responsible government. What is a responsible government? Responsible government includes the rule of law and the separation of powers.
“So once you have a responsible government, you will have justice. The principle of accountability is essential. It’s an ingredient in responsible governance. Decision makers are held to account for decisions they’ve made.
