“State of Emergency Was a Compromise to Stop Fubara’s Impeachment” – AGF Fagbemi

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has said the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State was necessary to prevent the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.

Speaking to State House correspondents after meeting President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, Fagbemi described the move as a “compromise” that helped avoid a complete political collapse in the state.

“There was a notice of impeachment from the House of Assembly. If that process had run its full course, both the governor and his deputy would have been out of office for the rest of their tenure,” he explained. “So, if you say it’s a compromise, I will agree.”

Fagbemi traced the political crisis back to late 2023, when tensions escalated and Governor Fubara reportedly took unilateral actions, including the demolition of the state House of Assembly complex. He stressed the critical role of the legislature in a democratic setting—budget approvals, oversight functions, and confirmation of appointments—which he said had been severely undermined.

According to the minister, the governor allegedly handpicked a small faction of lawmakers, relocated them to the Government House, and had them perform legislative duties, sidelining the majority of the 32-member Assembly.

The matter went to court, and the Supreme Court ruled that Governor Fubara had violated the Constitution. “The court made profound findings and concluded that the governor acted out of fear of impeachment and preemptively dismantled the legislative arm of government,” Fagbemi said.

He added that for over a year, the Assembly building remained unrepaired, rendering legislative governance impossible and disrupting the constitutional balance between the executive, legislature, and judiciary.

Fagbemi said the court likened the governor’s behavior to that of a despot, stating that governance had effectively collapsed in the state. “The executive alone cannot run a democracy. Even the money to be spent must be appropriated by the Assembly,” he noted.

He further accused the governor of emboldening militants by failing to denounce them publicly after they vandalized oil pipelines. Fagbemi linked this unrest to earlier statements made by Fubara, which he said signaled support for militant action.

“At a time when Nigeria’s oil production had risen from 900,000 to 1.5 million barrels per day under the President’s leadership, such sabotage affects not just Rivers but the entire nation,” he said. “All 36 states benefit from oil revenue, so any attack on oil infrastructure is an attack on Nigeria.”

Fagbemi concluded that President Tinubu’s decision was informed by the Supreme Court ruling, the political stalemate between the governor and the Assembly, and rising insecurity. “If the President had delayed even one more day, the consequences could have been dire,” he warned.