The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed grave concern over a recent Supreme Court judgment regarding the President’s emergency powers, warning that it could lead Nigeria toward a “dangerous democratic bend.”
In a statement issued yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the party reacted to the split decision (six to one) in suit SC/CV/329/2025.
READ ALSO: PDP raises alarm over recent judgment on presidential emergency powers
The suit, filed by the Attorney-General of Adamawa State and others, challenged the President’s power to suspend democratically elected officials, such as the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State, as well as institutions like the State House of Assembly.
The Apex Court struck out the suit due to an “absence of a cause of action.”
However, the court proceeded to comment on the substantive issues, which have been widely interpreted as upholding President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State earlier this year.
While acknowledging the finality of the Supreme Court’s authority, the PDP highlighted what it described as a “grave danger” to the nation’s political landscape.
The party argued that no person or institution (outside of a State House of Assembly or a court) is empowered to remove a governor, even temporarily, during their constitutional term.
The party cited the principle expressio unius est exclusio alterius (the express mention of one thing excludes others), suggesting the Constitution does not explicitly grant the President such suspension powers.
The PDP warned that the reasoning behind the judgment could unwittingly make state governments completely subservient to the Federal Government.
The party noted that states might feel forced to “connect to the centre” by joining the ruling party to ensure their survival.
Furthermore, the PDP expressed alarm over the logical extension of Section 305(3)(c), which allows for “extraordinary measures to restore peace.”
The party fears this could eventually be used to dismantle democratic structures of the federating unit, justify the suspension of the judiciary itself in the future and entrench a system of tyranny and authoritarianism within a federation.
“We cannot reconcile how an elected President can be empowered to dismantle the democratic structures of a federating unit, sack elected officials and appoint leaders there, without consciously promoting authoritarianism,” the party said.
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In response to the ruling, the PDP is calling on the National Assembly to “urgently initiate constitutional and legislative safeguards” that clearly define and limit the scope of the President’s emergency powers.
The party also urged Nigerian citizens, civil society, the media, and the international community to remain vigilant in defending the sanctity of the electoral mandate and federalism.
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