Veteran Nollywood actor and politician Kenneth Okonkwo has accused President Bola Tinubu of exploiting the emergency declared in Rivers State to gain control of local government authorities through proxies. In a statement released on his official X account on Saturday, Okonkwo argued that Tinubu’s declaration of emergency in Rivers State has expired naturally and automatically after six months.

Expiration of Emergency Declaration

According to Okonkwo, Tinubu’s claim of lifting the suspension is baseless since the proclamation had already expired. The Labour Party chieftain believes that Tinubu had the opportunity to revoke the emergency within six months when Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara publicly declared that they had settled, but he chose not to. Instead, Tinubu allegedly used the Sole Administrator as a proxy to organize local government elections not recognized by law.

“Tinubu did not lift or suspend the state of emergency. The life span of any state of emergency is six months. Section 305(6)(c) states that “A Proclamation issued by the President under this section shall cease to have effect after a period of six months has elapsed since it has been in force.”

“The state of emergency elapsed on its own. Tinubu had the power to revoke it before six months when Wike and Fubara publicly declared that they have settled, but he refused to do it so that his regime would complete its illegality of usurping the power of the Governor to organise voodoo local government elections not known to law, using the Sole Administrator as a proxy.

“Another insinuation that he reinstated Fubara and other elected representatives of Rivers State is insulting to the sensibilities of the Rivers people. You can not reinstate whom you can not remove. It’s only the Rivers people, through their elected representatives and the State judiciary who can remove the Governor and his Deputy, not Tinubu,” the statement read.

Constitutional Concerns

Okonkwo emphasized that President Tinubu lacks the authority to reinstate Governor Fubara, as this power rests solely with the people of Rivers State and their elected representatives. He cited Section 305(6)(c) of the Constitution, which states that a proclamation issued by the President under this section shall cease to have effect after a period of six months has elapsed since it has been in force.

Martial Law Allegations

This is not the first time Okonkwo has criticized Tinubu’s actions in Rivers State. Earlier, he described Tinubu’s actions as martial law, arguing that the President’s decision to suspend elected officials and appoint a sole administrator is unconstitutional and amounts to a coup against the people of Rivers State.