Rivers Crisis: Tinubu’s intervention is ‘Extra Legal’ – Falana

A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana SAN, has described President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the political crisis going on in Rivers State as ‘Extra Legal’.

Tinubu waded into the crisis in Rivers State involving Governor Simi Fubara and his predecessor Nyesom Wike, leading to a peace path between the parties late last year.

But Falana said there is no provision outside of the law to resolve the political crisis.

“I think the President’s intervention in the Rivers political crisis is not backed by any provision of the Constitution mind you,” he said on Channels  TV on Sunday. 

“It’s an extra-legal measure towards the restoration of law and order in that state.”

Although a peace path was signed after Tinubu’s intervention, Falana said if parties involved in the crisis cannot adhere to the tenets of the agreement, the law has to take its course.

“The President can only wish them well. And if they have taken their battle to the court of law, they just have to follow through and allow the law to take its course,” Falana said.

“That is what the rule of law is about under a democratic dispensation.

“There is no provision outside the law and that point has to be made abundantly clear to those involved in the crisis in Rivers State,” Falana added.

He also spoke about Governor Fubara’s executive order relocating the sitting venue of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

According to him, the governor’s move is not a contravention of the separation of powers among the three arms of government.

“I would like to assume that the governor issued that executive order before the intervention of the High Court in Rivers State,” Falana added on the show.

“The house is independent of the executive. So the governor cannot tell the house where to sit.”