Atiku Abubakar, the presidential flag bearer of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says a political coalition has been formed to oust President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.
Atiku said this Thursday in Abuja while responding to a question on behalf of the opposition leaders at an ongoing press conference at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
According to BusinessDay, the coalition of Nigerian leaders and stakeholders also strongly condemned Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing it as “unconstitutional” and “a brazen assault on democracy.”
In a joint press conference, the group argued that the president’s actions violate the Nigerian Constitution, particularly Section 188, which outlines the procedure for removing a governor through impeachment by the State House of Assembly.
They also cited Section 305 of the Constitution, which allows the president to declare a state of emergency only in extreme cases where public safety, national security, or Nigeria’s sovereignty is at serious risk. However, they emphasised that this section does not grant the president the power to suspend elected officials or demolish democratic structures.
The leaders further pointed out that the conditions for declaring a state of emergency, as stipulated in Section 305(3) of the Constitution, are not present in Rivers State. They noted that there is no war, no widespread violence, and no breakdown of law and order warranting emergency declaration.
They argued that even if an emergency declaration were valid, it would still require a two-thirds majority approval of all members of the National Assembly, which was not obtained.
The group urged Nigerians to resist this move and defend the country’s democratic institutions. They also called on the president to reverse his decision and respect the Constitution.
The condemnation comes amid growing concerns about the implications of the president’s actions on Nigeria’s democracy and the rule of law.
