Politics
Tinubu’s action in Rivers a Coup, should be removed, tried for treason – Kenneth Okonkwo
Veteran Nollywood actor, politician and activist Kenneth Okonkwo has called for the removal of President Bola Tinubu for for what he termed declaration of Martial Law in Rivers State.
What he did is a coup not a state of emergency as people erroneously call it
Okonkwo’s reaction to the recent events in Rivers State is contained in a podcast shared on YouTube which the actor personally availed everydaynewsngr.net.
Hear him:
People have been making a mistake as to what the president did in Rivers State. Tinubu did not declare state of emergency in Rivers State, the president declared a Martial law in Rivers State.
State of Emergency is recognised by our constitution. And has given the president the power to declare state of emergency under certain conditions.
The Nigerian Bar Association has made it clear that none of those conditions has been fulfilled to warrant the declaration of State of emergency. Meaning that the purported declaration is not a state of emergency.
The Supreme Court is very clear! In the case of Attorney General of Bendel State and Adeyo, It said any act of governance not covered under an enabling law is a nullity. So there is nothing like state of emergency in Rivers. What Bola Tinubu did is not a state of emergency because even when the situation has arisen it doesn’t include the removal of elected representatives of the people.
The constitution is very clear in Section 1(2) that Nigeria shall not be governed or any part thereof by any persons except in accordance with the constitution. Where is it in the constitution that Nigeria or any state shall be governed by a sole administrator. None.
So what the President did is akin to what the president of South Korea did when he declared martial law and wanted to remove the representatives of the people. The legislature moved in immediately.
Including members of the party of the president and removed the president himself. Declaring martial law to remove representatives of the people; that is a coup against the federation.
The president of South Korea is awaiting trial for doing that.
What the legislature is expected to be thinking about doing is removing Tinubu for declaring martial law on a state, federating unit and trying to rule that state through the military; through Sole administrator, not contemplated by our constitution.
Tinubu usurped the power to make law for that state; he said the sole administrator can make regulation – regulation is part of law. So he usurped it through a decree; not our law. That sole administrator can make law and he, Tinubu, and his cabinet will be the one to authorise the law. Usurping power of the legislature- that is treason. That is trying to govern Nigeria or a part of it in a manner not contemplated by the constitution.
Tinubu suspended numerous sections of the constitution in order to make his declaration. No state of emergency authorises the govt to suspend any provision of the constitution. But in declaring the martial law which Tinubu did he suspended Sections 1, 179,180, 188, 189, 120 and 121 including Section 117 and 110 of the constitution in order to make that declaration. That cannot be declaration of a state of Emergency.
What are these Sections talking, that you cannot govern Nigeria outside elected members of the representatives of the people. And these Sections enumerated the methods you can use to remove a member of the House of Assembly Or the Governor. One, by death, resignation, impeachment, by permanent incapacity and expiration of term. And for the House of Assembly member by recall. That’s the summary of the Sections I have enumerated.
So the president suspended these sections and wants to rule Rivers State by decree. Because he has already usurped the power of the legislature and that is why I am saying that what he declared was martial law, was a coup against the people of Rivers State.
Rivers State are the ones that elected the Governor and members of the Assembly. And even by interpretation act, it said, he that appoints is the only person that has the power to remove. So the President did not appoint the Governor, he did not appoint members of the Assembly, they were elected. The President has no right to remove them. And any govt in place on a democracy was instituted by laws; that’s why the Supreme Court say any act of governance that is not covered under an enabling law is a nullity.
Even the National Assembly that has the right, and I am talking now about the State of emergency, for us to know the difference between State of emergency and what Tinubu did. In state of emergency, Section 305 is very clear, you declare State of emergency when there is war, when there is imminent threat of invasion of Nigeria – that has not happened. Or when there is actual breakdown of public order and public safety as to warrant extra ordinary measure to correct the situation or where there is a danger that such a thing will happen or where there is a natural calamity of such that needs extraordinary measure to correct it or where there is a threat to the collapse of the federation of Nigeria. This is Section 305(3). Now, none of these has happened and the President came on TV to say there is a security report – security report Mr President is for you, it is not for Nigerians. So anything that Nigerians do not know should not know Nigerians. You that know your security report has not given you the right to remove elected representatives. So what the State of emergency actually is doing is that the president should empower the democratic forces to be able to overcome the danger even if it means using extraordinary measure. What is the extraordinary measure? The state of emergency that is talking about extraordinary measure is that you have the right to restrict the fundamental rights of Nigerians when you are taking away the extraordinary measure it does not mean removing elected representatives and it was stated in Section 45 of the constitution when they say that the provisions of the human rights cannot invalidate any law made by the National Assembly if that law is intended for the defense, public safety, public morality, public order or public health of the country and even that Section made it clear that the National Assembly has the power to make such law for the defense even if it affects the fundamental human rights. And in Section 11(4) the constitution made it clear that the making of the law by the National Assembly does not include the removal of the governor or the deputy. That is, even if the legislature is not functioning in that state. What does that tell you, that no law gives any right to any elected president to remove elected representatives of the people. Now let me tell you this catch, because the President is referring to one pipeline or two that was breached. During the regime of President Goodluck Jonathan the whole pipelines in Niger Delta were threatened; most of them were breached by the militants that had waged war against the federal Republic because of marginalisation of The Niger Delta. President Goodluck Jonathan…that was a situation that needed a state of emergency, he did not even declare a state of emergency because he didn’t believe there was anything extraordinary in what these people were doing which the security forces cannot contain. He simply made an order that security forces should restore order in that region and arrest the culprits and bring them to justice. That was what he did and the security forces moved in. No governor was affected, no assembly was affected and it led to the dialogue which resulted in the amnesty which brought peace to the region which we are enjoying today. When a competent president wants to make peace in any part of the country he goes by the way that Goodluck Jonathan, that Umar Y’adua did. You negotiate; you go into dialogue not going to support your appointee in order to destroy the state because you want to capture the state. That is why it is not a state of emergency he is doing because Y’Adua faced with problem in the entire Niger Delta which breached all the pipelines, which brought war against the federal government did not even declare a state of emergency and a president is telling you apprehension, there is tension not that there is something actual, no evidence, that is one. Secondly, when Goodluck Jonathan was faced with invasion, insurgency by a terrorist group called Boko Haram that had taken over local governments and three states were under threat, Goodluck Jonathan rightly declared a state of emergency and did not remove any governor and did not remove any representative of the people; why? Because he was not declaring any martial law he was declaring state of emergency and he took out that situation and in six weeks he wiped them out. Why he declared a state of emergency is to let the people know- your movement might be curtailed so don’t come and quote for us freedom of movement. You shouldn’t come out at so so time because stray bullet can catch you. And then if hit by stray bullet you can’t go to anyone and say the person was killed. That’s the essence of the state of emergency. Your fundamental human rights could be be involved.
Now, let’s go to Obasanjo because he was the only leader that removed some governors while declaring state of emergency which the courts now have ruled illegal. But one thing Obasanjo did; he didn’t use it as an instrument of power grab. Obasanjo never declared or removed any elected representatives in the opposition party; it was only PDP members, his own party he removed. And there was another governor that had security issues from another party, Obasanjo refused to remove him because he knew it would be interpreted as power grab. He wrote a letter of warning to that Governor.
When Tinubu was governor there were security problems in Lagos. Obasanjo restrained himself from declaring state of emergency in Lagos.
.. it is a coup to forcefully and with military remove elected representatives so that he can take over the state and administer it with military people that’s a coup.
Tinubu is the first President since 1979 that has used the instrument of State of emergency to usurp power from the opposition party. There was nothing in Rivers State that necessitated a declaration of State of emergency.
When they organised local government election in Rivers State secretaries were burned by people who were against the Governor. Somebody was caught with a bomb; he detonated it, it wounded him. They arrested him, what has happened to him till date, nothing. People committed arson; people loyal to appointees of the president. Burned down secretariats in open glare, nobody was arrested, why? No state of emergency was declared, why? And then, now you have peace you are saying you declared state of emergency.
I was really troubled When the president was mentioning Supreme Court judgement; Supreme Court said that appropriation act must be re submitted by the governor because the governor had submitted it to a legitimate House of Assembly and they were legitimate until the declaration of the Supreme Court.
They said he should re-present it to the 27 lawmakers. And the law is that no money of the state can be spent except it’s appropriated by the House of Assembly and that the Governor will present it for such appropriation.
Tinubu suspended the constitution because he wanted to go against the Supreme Court judgement which has ordered the governor to re-present the budget to the Assembly. This declaration is against the Supreme Court judgement and it is now Tinubu disobeying the Supreme Court judgement not the governor. The governor wrote to the Assembly; come let is discuss about the budget. What a good man. Why is he inviting them? Because the budget that contained only four members of the Assembly will not be the same as the budget that will contain 27 members. They refused. They gave him ultimatum. Ultimatum means we are waiting for you and you must come and present this within this time. The governor went to honour the ultimatum. They locked the gate against him and yet Tinubu is giving it as an example. And he is calling the governor who said he would obey the decisions of the Court and has obeyed all. And you are still calling him. That means you have a sinister motive to overthrow his government by force and that is exactly what he did, deploying the military which is against the judgement of the Supreme Court. It’s an impeachable offense for a President to go against the judgement of the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court is very clear that no money should be spent. It even suspended the allocation. So saying that you will unilaterally make a law to overrule the Supreme Court and give Rivers State money to a Sole administrator who is not even from their State means that you want to use your power which is military power as Commander in chief of the Armed forces …if this is not military dictatorship tell me what it is…so what happened in Rivers State is coup and Nigerians must rise..like what happened in South Korea, Tinubu ought to be removed and ought to be facing trial for treason…”
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Ahead of the 2027 National Assembly elections, a mass protest voting movement may be building up in Anambra South Senatorial District, following reported moves by members of major political parties to support the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Chief Ebuka Onunkwo.
The development is said to be linked to grievances among some members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and remnants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the treatment allegedly meted out to Onunkwo during previous political contests.
Onunkwo, who had previously contested the Anambra South senatorial seat under APGA, later emerged as the NDC candidate for the 2027 election.
Although the ADC is currently embroiled in legal disputes over the authentic candidates and the conduct of its primary elections, some members of the APC and APGA are also reportedly dissatisfied with developments within their respective parties.
It was gathered that a section of APGA members, in particular, are backing Onunkwo as a form of protest over the conduct of the party’s senatorial primary, while some members of other parties are also believed to be considering voting for him irrespective of their party affiliations.
Confirming the growing support for Onunkwo, the Chief Executive Officer of NOWAS Oil and Gas Limited and a major stakeholder in Anambra South politics, Chief Ignesus Ikechukwudere Nnubia, said the NDC candidate currently enjoys widespread acceptability across party lines.
Nnubia said the growing support for Onunkwo had made his party affiliation less significant, arguing that voters would ultimately vote according to their conscience and assessment of the candidates.
He said, “At the moment, the number of APGA members with him and supporting him makes one wonder what is left of that party. Even the remnants of the PDP have pitched their tents with him, while members of the ruling APC at the national level are also behind him.
“So, the party that he belongs to is not a factor at all. You know that it is a game of numbers, and people are going to vote according to their conscience and not necessarily because of the political party they belong to.
“People are not bound to vote for their party, and some of them are ready and willing to vote for him.
“We are not talking about the party because he will surely get votes from the NDC, APGA, APC and even other political parties that are already closing ranks to support him as their candidate.”
Nnubia further described Onunkwo as the candidate currently standing tall among the contenders for the Anambra South senatorial seat, expressing confidence that his emergence would usher in what he described as a “new dawn” for the district.
He said political parties should not be the major consideration for voters, stressing that what matters most is the ability of elected representatives to improve the lives of their constituents.
According to him, political parties exist because of the people, and therefore the influence of party structures and incumbency has its limits during elections.
Nnubia said those factors would ultimately be tested by the electorate in the 2027 election, which he described as a contest in which voters’ choices would determine the outcome.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 Ebonyi State election, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has pledged to attract more than ₦2 trillion in private-sector investment to the state within six months of assuming office if elected.
Odii made the pledge while addressing supporters in Lagos ahead of the formal commencement of his campaign.
He said his investment strategy would cover key sectors of the Ebonyi economy, including mining, hospitality, real estate and manufacturing.
According to the PDP candidate, he has identified more than 2,000 prospective investors, each capable of investing about ₦1 billion in the state.
“I have over 2,000 people who can invest ₦1 billion each. When you multiply it, you will get over ₦2 trillion. This has been structured in such a way that all aspects of the economy will be involved,” Odii said.
He said the proposed investment drive was designed not only to inject capital into the state but also to create jobs, expand the productive base of the economy and provide opportunities for young people and entrepreneurs.
Odii said Ebonyi’s natural resources and strategic location placed it in a strong position to attract large-scale investments if its economic potential was properly harnessed.
He promised that his administration would prioritise private-sector participation, industrialisation and job creation while creating an enabling environment for both local and foreign investors.
The candidate also said existing businesses in the state would be supported to expand, while new investors would be encouraged to establish operations across various sectors.
His pledge comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with economic development, employment generation and wealth creation featuring prominently in his campaign message.
The proposed ₦2 trillion investment target within six months, if achieved, would represent a significant boost to Ebonyi’s economy and rank among the most ambitious private-sector investment mobilisation plans proposed in the state.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The planned visit of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Anambra State has sparked controversy following a protest by the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Emma Anosike, that the party was not informed about the visit.
Anosike said the APC in Anambra was never consulted or briefed about the proposed visit, adding that the party was taken aback by reports that the wife of the party’s national leader and presidential candidate, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would be visiting the state without recourse to the state chapter.
He said, “It is indeed strange that the First Lady of our presidential candidate is visiting Anambra State without recourse to the party in the state.
“The party wishes to state categorically that we are not part of the arrangements for the reception of our First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, because the party was never put in the picture.”
Anosike also dismissed the mantra that “The Progressives Are Working Together”, being canvassed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), describing it as a smokescreen by the ruling party in Anambra to hijack President Tinubu’s re-election from the APC.
He said, “For instance, the APGA-led government in Anambra State did not interface with us on the organisation of the visit, and the party wonders if the progressives are indeed working together.”
The APC chairman, however, said the development would not compromise the First Lady’s visit, urging all APC members and supporters in the state to turn out and give Senator Oluremi Tinubu a warm welcome.
He stressed that despite the party’s reservations over the arrangements, APC members remained committed to welcoming the First Lady to Anambra State.
Former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Sagir Saleh, has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Saleh, who served as deputy governor under former Governor Isa Yuguda, announced his resignation in a letter submitted to the party leadership in Katagum Local Government Area.
He cited personal reasons for his decision but did not provide further details.
His exit comes amid growing disagreements within the Bauchi APC following the party’s 2027 governorship primary. Other prominent members, including former governorship aspirant Bala Jibrin and Sunusi Kunde, an associate of Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, have also reportedly left the party.
Jibrin, a former National Auditor of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), resigned on August 31, 2026, following his opposition to the emergence of former Bauchi Governor Muhammad Abubakar as the APC’s 2027 governorship candidate.
He had criticised the primary process and questioned how the candidate emerged.
Kunde also resigned from the APC in August, submitting his resignation to the party chairman of Beti Ward in Misau Local Government Area.
The latest departures are coming as efforts continue to resolve internal disputes and disagreements among APC members in the state.
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to assassinate former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 general election.
Ayodele issued the warning in a video shared on his verified X account on Sunday, urging both opposition figures to strengthen their security and remain vigilant.
The cleric did not identify those allegedly behind the purported plot but claimed that attempts were being made to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
According to him, divine intervention would prevent the alleged plan from succeeding.
“Obi and Atiku, be very conscious of your security. They are looking for any means to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
“But God will never allow it to happen. Watch out and be cautious about your security,” he said.
Ayodele also urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider travelling to the United States, alleging that there were forces in America working against his political fortunes.
The claims come as political activities and realignments intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
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