Ex-President Jonathan Joins Growing Calls for Tinubu to Reinstate Governor Fubara

Ex-President Jonathan Joins Growing Calls for Tinubu to Reinstate Governor Fubara. At a Haske Satumari colloquium in Abuja on March 22, 2025, Jonathan described the suspension of Fubara and the dissolution of the Rivers State House of Assembly as actions that “dents Nigeria’s image,” warning that they undermine democratic governance .

Legal heavyweights and former politicians are intensifying pressure alongside Jonathan. Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana called President Tinubu’s move “illegal,” arguing that Section 305 of the Constitution does not authorize the suspension of democratically elected officials. Falana urged immediate reinstatement of the governor, his deputy, and the assembly members . Similarly, ex-Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai emphasized that the constitutional basis for such presidential suspension is unsound and warned of the dangerous precedent it sets for federal overreach .

Ijaw leaders and the Nigerian Bar Association have also condemned the state of emergency, branding it an assault on democracy. The Coalition of Concerned Ijaw Stakeholders called Tinubu’s actions a “rape of democracy” and demanded an immediate reversal, while the NBA declared the move unconstitutional and insisted Governor Fubara be reinstated without delay .

With sustained public backlash—including condemnation from Jonathan and prominent legal figures—President Tinubu faces mounting pressure to retract his emergency declaration. As debate intensifies over whether the federal government exceeded its constitutional powers, all eyes are now on whether Tinubu will heed these calls and restore democratic order in Rivers State.

Share to: