(DDM) – The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticised the Supreme Court’s recent ruling affirming the President’s authority to suspend elected governors and state assemblies during a state of emergency.
ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi described the decision as a dangerous turning point for Nigeria’s democratic framework, warning that it threatens constitutional governance, federalism, and the will of the electorate.
According to the party, the ruling effectively concentrates excessive power in the hands of the President, posing a significant threat to the country’s democracy.
“The African Democratic Congress is alarmed by the judgment of the Supreme Court, which grants the President the power to suspend elected governors and state assemblies during a state of emergency,” the party said in a statement.
ADC argued that while the ruling may appear academic, it represents a critical inflection point that could permanently alter the nature of Nigerian democracy.
The party further contended that the judgment allows the President to determine the measures necessary to restore peace and security in any state, potentially enabling the suspension of governors and assemblies for political reasons.
While the Supreme Court emphasised that no arm or tier of government is constitutionally superior, ADC claimed the ruling effectively grants undue control over state governments to the presidency.
The party also criticised the safeguards cited by the Court—proportionality, legislative oversight, and judicial review—as largely ineffective in practice.
ADC maintained that a legislature aligned with the presidency undermines oversight, while the prioritisation of legal technicalities over democratic principles weakens judicial review.
“The Supreme Court has inadvertently facilitated a form of constitutional tyranny, enabling those in power to exploit legal frameworks and constitutional loopholes to entrench absolute authority,” the statement said.
The party warned that such tyranny does not always arrive through military coups but often advances gradually as rulers erode democratic norms and institutions, a trend they argue has been evident over the past two years.
DDM gathered that the ruling stemmed from a lawsuit filed in April by governors elected on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, challenging President Bola Tinubu’s suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Professor Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly amid a prolonged political crisis.
Following the suspension, the President appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Sole Administrator of Rivers State for six months, placing the state under federal control.
Although the emergency rule expired on September 23, and the suspended officials have since resumed office, the Supreme Court upheld the President’s constitutional authority to declare a state of emergency and suspend elected officials during such periods.
The ADC concluded that neither the legislature nor the judiciary can currently be relied upon to prevent a gradual erosion of democratic governance if similar powers are exercised in the future.