Legal practitioner and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has argued that Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is constitutionally entitled to reclaim the six months he lost while out of office during the state of emergency declared earlier this year.
Okonkwo warned that if Governor Fubara vacates office on May 29, 2027, his four-year mandate would effectively be cut short, in violation of constitutional provisions and Supreme Court interpretations.
The lawyer made the remarks on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, while reacting to the emergency rule declared by President Bola Tinubu, which saw Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, temporarily suspended and replaced with retired naval officer, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), as state administrator for six months.
According to him, Section 180(2) of the Constitution provides that a governor’s tenure is four years from the date of swearing-in, and this period must not be abridged. He noted that the Supreme Court has consistently upheld the sanctity of the four-year tenure, which formed the basis for staggered governorship elections in some states.
“Governor Fubara was elected by the Rivers people to serve them for four years. Now, six months have been illegally, brutally, and without reason taken away from him,” Okonkwo said.
“This has nothing to do with antagonizing whoever declared the emergency rule. It is about the constitutional provision. The people of Rivers State voted for four years of Fubara’s leadership, and they are entitled to it. If he exits office in May 2027, he would not have completed his tenure. By law, his tenure should end on November 29, 2027.”
Okonkwo therefore advised Fubara to approach the courts to seek redress, insisting that Rivers people deserve the full service of the governor they elected.
The state of emergency was declared amid a deepening political crisis involving Governor Fubara, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule. The development led to the suspension of the governor, his deputy, and state lawmakers for six months.
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2025-09-22