The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has come out strongly against the Presidency’s response to Vice President Kashim Shettima’s recent comments regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. The party is backing Shettima’s remarks, insisting that no president—past or present—has the legal right to remove a sitting governor.
In a bold and unflinching statement released by the party’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described President Bola Tinubu’s involvement in Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s suspension as not just unconstitutional but also dangerous to Nigeria’s democracy.
They didn’t mince words.
“What made the removal of a governor unconstitutional under President Jonathan in Borno is the same that makes it unconstitutional under President Tinubu in Rivers,” the party stated. “The only difference is that one respected the Constitution, the other seeks to manipulate it.”
The ADC hailed Shettima’s earlier comments at a public event—where he recounted how former President Goodluck Jonathan, despite enormous pressure, chose not to remove him as Borno State Governor. That decision, Shettima said, was based on legal advice from then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, and the former Attorney General, Mohammed Bello Adoke.
To the ADC, that story was more than a memory. It was a mirror reflecting a troubling reality.
“Unlike Jonathan, who respected the law, President Tinubu has chosen to tread the path of unconstitutionality. The suspension of a duly elected governor is not just illegal—it is authoritarian and dangerous,” the party warned.
The ADC further criticized what it called “executive overreach” in Rivers State, pointing out that even in the face of the Boko Haram insurgency—a crisis far more severe than Rivers’ political unrest—Jonathan stayed within constitutional boundaries.
“If Jonathan could uphold the Constitution during war-level insecurity, what excuse does Tinubu have?” they asked.
The party urged President Tinubu to reverse course immediately, restore normal governance in Rivers State, and offer an apology to Nigerians for what it views as a clear abuse of power.
“The ADC will continue to stand with the Nigerian people in defence of democracy, justice and constitutionalism,” Abdullahi concluded.
In a time when democratic institutions seem fragile and tensions run high, the ADC’s message is a reminder that the Constitution isn’t just a document—it’s a promise that leaders are bound to keep.
