Just In: PDP Knocks Supreme Court on State of Emergency
- The PDP has expressed concern about the verdict of the Supreme Court on the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State earlier this year
- Recall that the Supreme Court earlier struck out the suit filed against the declaration because of the absence of a cause of action, but the apex court never made a pronouncement on the substantive issues that were raised
- However, the PDP posited that the comments have been widely interpreted as affirming the president's declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers earlier this year
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a swipe at the judgment of the Supreme Court on the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu earlier this year.
The leading opposition in a statement on Monday, December 15, expressed concern over the implications of the judgment and warned that the prevailing interpretation of the verdict could pose a danger to the democratic order and federal structure of Nigeria.
Source: Twitter
Why Supreme Court struck out PDP suit
Although the suit was struck out by the Supreme Court because of the absence of a cause of action, the apex court never made a pronouncement on the substantive issues that were raised.
However, the PDP posited that the comments have been widely interpreted as affirming the president's declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers earlier this year.
In the lead majority judgment, Justice Mohammed Idris held that Section 305 of the constitution empowers the President to deploy extraordinary measures to restore normalcy where emergency rule is declared.
Justice Mohammed Idris noted Section 305 was not specific on the nature of the extraordinary measures, thereby granting the President the discretion on how to go about it.
The judgment was on the suit filed by Adamawa State and 10 other PDP-led states challenging the propriety of the state of emergency declared by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rivers State, during which elected state officials, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, were suspended for six months.
Nigerians react to PDP comment
However, the PDP's comment on the Supreme Court ruling has started generating reactions from some Nigerians. Below are some of their reactions:
Tamim Garba commented:
"With this power, the president can easily remove all opposition governors, then they will have no choice but to join APC just like Fubara did."
Source: Twitter
T.M said:
"I am not a fan of Mr President, but declaring a state of emergency is not new in Nigeria; other past presidents declared the same state of emergency."
Emmanuel Ogar said the PDP's statement was misleading:
"Dumb party & their dumb admin. Without proper research, you rush down here to mislead people who want to be misled."
OAK mocks the PDP:
"From a party that has no respect for the rule of law! E bara yin da sohun!"
See the PDP's full statement here:
Supreme Court affirms Sanda’s death sentence
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Supreme Court affirmed the death sentence handed to Maryam Sanda, over the murder of Bilyamin Mohammed Bello, her husband.
In a split judgment of four-to-one delivered, the apex court held that the court of appeal was right to uphold the decision of the trial judge in the case.
Moore Adumein, the judge who read the lead judgment, ruled that the prosecution proved the case beyond a reasonable doubt at the trial court.
Source: Legit.ng
