The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Supreme Court’s ruling affirming the President’s power to suspend elected governors and state assemblies during a state of emergency, describing it as a dangerous turning point for Nigeria’s democracy.
ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement on Tuesday, warned that the ruling threatens constitutional governance, federalism, and the will of the electorate.
Reacting to the ruling, the ADC said it effectively concentrates excessive authority in the hands of the President, posing a grave threat to Nigeria’s democratic framework.
“The African Democratic Congress is alarmed by the judgment of the Supreme Court, which grants the President the power to suspend elected governors and state assemblies during a state of emergency.
“While the ruling may seem academic, it represents a critical inflexion point in our democracy that could permanently alter its nature,” the party said.
The ADC argued that the judgment allows the President to determine measures to restore peace and security in any state, effectively enabling the suspension of governors and assemblies for political reasons.
While the court noted that no arm or tier of government is constitutionally superior, the ADC contended the ruling grants the presidency undue control over state governments.
The party further criticised the safeguards cited by the Supreme Court—proportionality, legislative oversight, and judicial review—as ineffective in practice.
According to the ADC, a legislature aligned with the presidency makes oversight implausible, while the court’s prioritisation of legal technicalities over democratic principles undermines judicial review.
“The Supreme Court has inadvertently facilitated a form of constitutional tyranny, enabling those in power to exploit legal frameworks and constitutional loopholes to entrench absolute authority,” the statement said.
The ADC warned that such tyranny does not always arrive via military coups but often advances gradually as rulers erode democratic norms and institutions, a trend it says has been evident over the past two years.
The party concluded that neither the legislature nor the judiciary can currently be relied upon to prevent this descent.
Politics Nigeria recalls that the judgment, delivered on Monday, arose from a suit filed in April by governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
They challenged President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Professor Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly amid a prolonged political crisis.
Following the suspension, the President appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Sole Administrator of Rivers State for six months, placing the state under federal control.
Although the emergency rule expired on September 23, and the suspended officials had since resumed office, the Supreme Court upheld the President’s constitutional power to declare a state of emergency and suspend elected state officials during such periods. Read Full Original