The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Citizens’ Engagement Committee on Thursday called on Nigerians to initiate the recall process of their respective federal legislators who voted in favor of the controversial state of emergency declared in Rivers State.
Rising from an emergency meeting held on the 20th of March, 2025, the committee issued a resolution signed by its chairman, Kunle Edun SAN, condemning the actions of the National Assembly and expressing unwavering support for the Nigerian Bar Association’s earlier position on the matter.
The Committee stated that the suspension of the Governor of Rivers State, his Deputy, and the House of Assembly, alongside the declaration of a state of emergency, is a direct violation of constitutional provisions and democratic principles.
Below are the resolutions passed at the meeting:
1. That it fully supports the position of the Nigerian Bar Association condemning the declaration of state of emergency and the suspension of the Governor of Rivers State, the Deputy Governor of Rivers State and the House of Assembly.
2. That the National Assembly of both the Senate and the House of Representatives betrayed the people of Nigeria and desecrated the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by failing to form a quorum and unlawfully adopting a voice vote on a matter of serious constitutional implications contrary to the provisions of Section 305(3) of the Constitution.
3. That Nigerians are urged to demand that their representatives in the Senate and the House of Representativepublicly state how they voted and if they participated in the unconstitutional process.
4. That Nigerians at their various federal consituencies should commence a recall process of the legislators that voted in support of the unconstitutional declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State.
5. That Nigerians should continue to be law-abiding and challenge official impunity through legitimate process.
