• More updates on Tinubu Rivers State of emergency
For many Nigerians, yesterday’s declaration threw up some new questions. Some wants to know what exactly is the meaning of state of emergency; while others may want to understand what happens during state of emergency.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu declared state of emergency in Rivers State during a nationwide broadcast yesterday. He suspended Governor Siminialayi and his deputy and all the elected members of the state House of Assembly. President Tinubu was invoking the section 305 of the 1999 Constitution.
What is state of emergency?
State of emergency is a condition where the government oversteps its boundaries to make policies that it ordinarily couldn’t do.
This is a very rare situation. Its when the affected territory is in a war, or under hug natural disaster that emergency rule could be imposed. But civil unrest, armed conflict, medical pandemic or epidemic or other forms of biosecurity risks can also necessitate emergency rule.
- Tinubu’s Rivers state of emergency speech (Full Speech)
- Ibok-Ete Ibas: 8 interesting facts about the new Rivers State administrator
- How many times was state of emergency used in Nigeria?
Both democracies and dictatorships use state of emergency for number of reasons. But the difference could lie within the lines of the reasons such emergency is imposed or how long it may be allowed to last. Dictatorships often extends it indefinitely and abuse is grossly.
What happens during state of emergency?
During state of emergency, certain human rights could be violated. Sometimes, it could lead to outright human rights abuses.
Since the return of democracy in Nigeria in 1999, state of emergency was declared four times. Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan invoked the principle during their days, although theirs was far less sweeping than President Tinubu’s.