Felix Morka, the National Publicity Secretary of the All-Progressives Congress (APC), has thrown his support behind President Bola Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, asserting that the suspended governor, Siminalayi Fubara, severely undermined democratic principles. The announcement came after 15 months of political turmoil in the oil-rich South-South state, culminating in the President’s nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
Invoking Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), President Tinubu declared the state of emergency, suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial six-month period. The move has sparked widespread debate, with some questioning the President’s constitutional authority, while Morka has fiercely defended the action.
In an interview on Tuesday, Morka criticized opponents of the declaration, accusing them of political bias and a lack of objectivity. “Commentators are speaking from partisan corners rather than reason,” he said. “If they were truly impartial, they’d have invited me to discuss how Governor Fubara has been trampling on democracy. His actions were a direct assault on democratic norms.”
Morka pointed to Fubara’s early moves in office, including his alleged attempt to unseat the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, who was elected alongside him. When that effort failed, the governor demolished the Assembly complex, effectively halting legislative functions in the state. “Where were the opposition voices then?” Morka asked. “Peter Obi and others stayed silent as Fubara tried to dismantle the state legislature and froze all financial allocations.”
Backing the emergency declaration, Morka argued that President Tinubu acted within his constitutional powers under Section 305, which allows such measures when national security or governance is gravely threatened. He cited intelligence reports highlighting growing security risks in Rivers State, including the vandalism of the Trans Niger Pipeline, the country’s largest oil pipeline, as a key factor necessitating federal intervention.
Morka also emphasized that the decision was not made in isolation, noting that it received approval from a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly. “This isn’t an APC-only body—it’s a multi-party assembly representing all Nigerians. After reviewing the evidence, they endorsed the President’s action,” he said.
The suspension of Governor Fubara has drawn significant controversy, with critics, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), arguing that the Constitution’s Section 188 provides a specific process for removing a governor, which was bypassed. Morka countered that the President’s action was not a removal but a temporary suspension aimed at restoring stability. He referenced Section 5, Subsection 3 of the Constitution, which prohibits governors from exercising authority in ways that undermine the federal government.
Dismissing the backlash, Morka questioned why PDP governors and leaders remained silent during Fubara’s alleged transgressions, only speaking out after federal intervention. “They ignored the crisis for months, but now they challenge the solution,” he said, accusing them of selective outrage.
As Rivers State navigates this unprecedented political chapter, Morka’s defense underscores the APC’s stance that extraordinary measures were justified to safeguard democracy and security in the region.
