Latest news with #NigerianBarAssociation
Bloomberg
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Nigeria's Pipeline Crisis Will Worsen Under the President's Power Grab
When a state of emergency was declared in parts of Nigeria in 2013, Bola Tinubu, then a fiery opposition leader, was apoplectic. He condemned the declaration by former President Goodluck Jonathan as a 'ploy to subvert constitutional democracy' and warned it was 'a potentially destructive path to take.' Now, as president, Tinubu's words have come back to bite him. Hours after the March 18 explosion on the Trans-Niger Pipeline — imperiling the 245,000 barrels of crude oil and condensates it transports daily — in Rivers State, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the richly endowed ' oil capital ' of the country. He suspended the governor, his deputy and all lawmakers for six months and installed a retired vice admiral as caretaker of the region. Echoing Tinubu's words from 12 years ago, the Nigerian Bar Association condemned the declaration as ' an assault on democracy ' and said it violates Section 305 of the constitution, which outlines strict conditions for emergency rule. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said ' it reeks of political manipulation and outright bad faith.'
Russia Today
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Lawmakers back emergency rule in oil-rich region of African state
Nigeria's parliament has approved President Bola Tinubu's state of emergency measures and the suspension of an opposition governor in oil-rich Rivers State, following a series of attacks that targeted crude oil pipelines. The West African nation's leader suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and local legislators elected in 2023 for a period of six months on Tuesday. He accused Fubara of failing to take action against 'disturbing incidents of vandalization of pipelines by some militants.' Tinubu appointed a retired Navy chief as the administrator of the state, which is located in the restive Niger Delta. Prior to the move, the governor and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is currently the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, were reportedly locked in a power struggle for several months. Both are members of the opposition People's Democratic Party. In a national address on Tuesday evening, President Tinubu said River State had been at a 'standstill since the crisis started.' READ MORE: Oil giant quits onshore sector in Africa's largest economy The Nigerian Bar Association criticized Tinubu's decision – arguing that tensions in the Rivers State have not 'reached the level of a complete breakdown of law and order warranting the declaration of a state of emergency.' 'The power given to the President under Section 305 of the Constitution does not empower the President to suspend a Governor, Deputy Governor or other democratic organs of government,' the association said in a statement . Some opposition legislators had also threatened to block the emergency measures. However, on Thursday, both the House of Representatives and the Senate approved Tinubu's orders. READ MORE: The West's dirty secret: How most affluent nations poison the Global South The region, a crucial center for oil production and home to several major energy firms, including Nigerian LNG – Africa's largest liquefied natural gas facility – has long struggled with sabotage and vandalism, disrupting output and exports. An explosion was reported Tuesday in the Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni area, following an earlier blast on the Trans Niger Delta Pipeline, in which Shell recently sold its shares to Renaissance Africa Energy Holdings. The British energy giant has been embroiled in longstanding legal disputes over environmental damage caused by decades of oil spills in Nigeria – claims it has consistently denied – blaming most of the leaks on illegal crude oil extraction.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nigerian leader suspends the governor of an oil-rich state in rare emergency rule
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's leader declared an emergency in oil-rich Rivers state and suspended its governor and lawmakers Tuesday over a political crisis and vandalism to pipelines that contribute to the country's status as Africa's top oil producer. A crisis in Rivers has brewed for months between incumbent Gov. Siminalayi Fubara and state lawmakers, many of whom are backed by his predecessor. This week, some lawmakers initiated an impeachment process against the governor, accusing him of various illegalities regarding the presentation of the state budget and the composition of the legislative chamber. President Bola Tinubu said in a state broadcast he was suspending the governor and other elected officials, including the state lawmakers, for six months. The Nigerian president criticized the governor for not 'taking any action to curtail' fresh incidents of pipeline vandalism reported in the last 24 hours, including a blast that resulted in a fire on the Trans Niger Pipeline. 'With all these and many more, no good and responsible president will stand by and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the constitution to address the situation in the state,' Tinubu said. Nigeria's former navy chief Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas, who is retired, will become the military administrator of Rivers state and the judiciary will continue to function, Tinubu said. Military trucks were quickly deployed to the Rivers State Government House following Tinubu's announcement. The Nigerian Constitution allows emergency rule to maintain law and order in rare circumstances. This is the first such emergency declared in more than a decade in the country of more than 210 million people whose democracy has been tested by many years of military rule and instability. The Nigerian Bar Association criticized the suspensions of the governor and other elected officials as illegal. 'A declaration of emergency does not automatically dissolve or suspend elected state governments,' Afam Osigwe, the association's president, said in a statement. The last such emergency in Nigeria was declared under President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013, in the northeastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe during the height of the Boko Haram insurgency. However, the state governors were not suspended at the time.
Associated Press
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Nigerian leader suspends the governor of an oil-rich state in rare emergency rule
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's leader declared an emergency in oil-rich Rivers state and suspended its governor and lawmakers Tuesday over a political crisis and vandalism to pipelines that contribute to the country's status as Africa's top oil producer. A crisis in Rivers has brewed for months between incumbent Gov. Siminalayi Fubara and state lawmakers, many of whom are backed by his predecessor. This week, some lawmakers initiated an impeachment process against the governor, accusing him of various illegalities regarding the presentation of the state budget and the composition of the legislative chamber. President Bola Tinubu said in a state broadcast he was suspending the governor and other elected officials, including the state lawmakers, for six months. The Nigerian president criticized the governor for not 'taking any action to curtail' fresh incidents of pipeline vandalism reported in the last 24 hours, including a blast that resulted in a fire on the Trans Niger Pipeline. 'With all these and many more, no good and responsible president will stand by and allow the grave situation to continue without taking remedial steps prescribed by the constitution to address the situation in the state,' Tinubu said. Nigeria's former navy chief Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas, who is retired, will become the military administrator of Rivers state and the judiciary will continue to function, Tinubu said. Military trucks were quickly deployed to the Rivers State Government House following Tinubu's announcement. The Nigerian Constitution allows emergency rule to maintain law and order in rare circumstances. This is the first such emergency declared in more than a decade in the country of more than 210 million people whose democracy has been tested by many years of military rule and instability. The Nigerian Bar Association criticized the suspensions of the governor and other elected officials as illegal. 'A declaration of emergency does not automatically dissolve or suspend elected state governments,' Afam Osigwe, the association's president, said in a statement. The last such emergency in Nigeria was declared under President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013, in the northeastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe during the height of the Boko Haram insurgency. However, the state governors were not suspended at the time.
