The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has accused President Bola Tinubu of failing to understand the constitutional division of powers between him and state governors.
The PDP on Wednesday, through its Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, accused President Tinubu of exceeding his constitutional powers in suspending Governor Siminilayi Fubara during the period of Emergency Rule in Rivers State and insisted he must apologise to Nigerians.
The PDP official made the call while reacting to the declaration of an end to the emergency rule in Rivers State and reinstatement of the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
Naija News recalls that President Tinubu, in a statement on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, directed the suspended Governor to resume work on Thursday, September 18.
However, Osadolor, in an interview with Vanguard, said the President spoke brashly to the Governors in his statement lifting the suspension in Rivers State.
He said Tinubu’s action undermined the separation of powers and set a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.
The PDP chieftain argued that if the President could assume the power to suspend elected governors, then no effective check would exist on presidential authority. He added that such overreach was a direct violation of the 1999 Constitution.
“Yes, I think the President was overreaching. When I read the last paragraph of his speech, where he spoke to governors as if he were a headmaster in a classroom, I felt he should understand fully well that there is a clear division of powers.
“If he has the powers to remove elected governors, who now has the powers to check the President, who was also elected? First and foremost, I would have expected the President to apologise not only to Nigerians but to the wider public,” he said.
The PDP youth leader further accused the National Assembly of being complicit in what he described as the arrogant and unconstitutional suspension of a governor.
He urged the lawmakers to legislate against any repeat of such a process.
He warned that President Tinubu must always abide by the provisions of the Nigerian constitution.
“He did what he did before sending messages to the National Assembly, who allegedly were induced financially to ratify an abnormally ill report. For me, we must encourage stronger institutions and more respect for the Constitution of the land.
“No President, no matter how powerful or how emotionally challenged or motivated he may be, should use the authority of his office to rip apart the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Specifically, Osadolor also faulted the tone of Tinubu’s address to governors and stakeholders, saying the President spoke like a military commander.
“The last paragraph where he spoke to these governors and their stakeholders as if he were a military commander is uncalled for. He should learn to respect offices and recognise that elimination of powers is a threat to the Constitution.
“There is no provision that empowers the President to suspend a governor before going to the National Assembly. It is the National Assembly alone that has that responsibility. I so recommend,” he added.
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