Renowned human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has stated that the Nigerian Constitution does not grant the President the power to suspend elected officials under the motion of emergency rule.
Speaking at a media briefing recently, Falana emphasized that no provision in the Constitution allows the President to remove an elected governor, deputy governor, or legislators through the declaration of a state of emergency.
“There is no provision of the Constitution that empowers the President of the Republic to hide under emergency rule to suspend an elected governor, an elected deputy governor, and elected legislators,” he asserted.
Falana’s remarks come amid growing debates over the scope of executive powers during emergencies, especially as it relates to what happened in Rivers state.
He called for strict adherence to constitutional provisions, warning against any attempt to undermine democratic institutions under the pretext of crisis management.
