The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has backed Vice President Kashim Shettima’s recent declaration that President Bola Tinubu lacks the constitutional power to remove an elected governor, describing the comment as “the plain truth” and calling on the president to end what it termed the illegal takeover of Rivers State.
In a statement issued on Friday by Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s interim national publicity secretary and spokesperson, ADC rejected the presidency’s attempt to clarify Shettima’s comment, describing it as “a mere attempt at political correctness.”
Part of the statement read: “This simple truth, which is anchored in the Nigerian constitution, must not be lost in the fog of political correctness currently emanating from Aso Rock.
“Truth does not respect political correctness, because what is wrong is wrong. What made the removal of an elected governor wrong and unconstitutional under President Jonathan in the case of Borno State is the same that makes it wrong and unconstitutional under President Tinubu in the case of Rivers State.”
Referencing Shettima’s personal account, the ADC pointed out that when efforts were made to oust him as governor of Borno, the then speaker of the house of representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, and attorney-general Mohammed Bello Adoke, made it clear to President Goodluck Jonathan that he lacked the power to remove even an elected councillor.
“This is not just history. It is precedent. But unlike Jonathan, who has been widely acclaimed as a respecter of the law, President Tinubu chose to disregard the very laws he swore to uphold and tread the path of unconstitutionality in Rivers State,” the statement noted.
The party described the situation in Rivers as “executive overreach” and “a dangerous precedent” that threatens Nigeria’s democracy and federalism.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the breakdown of law and order that the presidency has deployed as a pretext to overthrow democratic order in Rivers State is nothing compared with the rampaging scourge of Boko Haram that abducted more than 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State,” the statement added.
The ADC called on Tinubu to “immediately restore democratic governance in Rivers State, cease all illegal interference in the affairs of the state, and halt the unconstitutional actions that have upended democratic rule.”
The party also demanded a public apology from the president to Nigerians for what it described as “abuse of power and blatant disregard for constitutional order.”
“The ADC will continue to stand with the Nigerian people in defence of democracy, justice, and constitutionalism,” the statement concluded.
