President Bola Tinubu may reinstate suspended Rivers state Governor Siminialayi Fubara on or before June 12 in the spirit of Democracy Day.
According to a Vanguard report, former President Goodluck Jonathan is among eminent Nigerians piling pressure on Tinubu behind the scene for Fubara to be returned to his position on or before June 12.
The report reveals that Jonathan, according to sources, has engaged President Bola Tinubu in at least one telephone conversation on the need to reinstate the suspended governor on or before June 12 in the spirit of Democracy Day.
The president will, according to tradition, address the nation in a broadcast on June 12.
Tinubu had, on March 18, suspended Fubara from office for six months, but many people described the action as unconstitutional as, according to them, there is no part of the Constitution which empowers the president to suspend/remove an elected governor in the event that emergency rule imposition becomes inevitable in any part of the country.
The critics cite Section 305, which provides for emergency rule without the suspension/removal of an elected governor.
They also refer to Section 188, which vests the removal of elected officials solely on the state House of Assembly.
Nevertheless, Tinubu slammed six months suspension on Fubara while also applying the same punishment on his deputy and members of the state House of Assembly, most of whom were loyal to Fubara’s predecessor, Nyesom Wike, incumbent Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and who (lawmakers) had commenced the impeachment process against Fubara.
The suspension was the climax of the fight between Fubara and Wike over the control of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State and appointments into key positions in government.
It had been speculated that Tinubu could lift the suspension on May 29 when the nation celebrated the second anniversary of his administration, but, as that did not happen, many people are banking on June 12 reinstatement.
