- Safiu Kehinde
Nigerian Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has faulted President Bola Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration in Rivers, stressing that the constitution has accorded too much power in the hand of the President.
NPO Reported that Tinubu had last week declared state of emergency in Rivers amid the unresolved political unrest in the state.
While the public had admitted to the constitutionality of the declaration, Tinubu’s suspension of the state’s governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the legislative arm had sparked outrage.
It had been condemned and declared unconstitutional by prominent members of the public.
Also lending his voice on in an interview with The African Report over controversial development, Soyinka asserted that the state of emergency undermined the spirit of federalism.
He held that the government is over centralized with much power vested with the President.
“The government is over-centralized. The debate will go on whether this (state of emergency) was, in the first place, a wise decision, but in terms of fundamental principles, I believe that this is against the federal spirit of association.
“I find that the constitution has put too much power in the hands of the president. The system we are operating right now is not the best for a pluralistic society like ours. That is a fundamental principle I have always held,” he said.
The Nobel laureate called for the amendment of the constitution for the country to operate as a genuine federal entity.
“If it is constitutionally right, then I think it is about time we sat down and amended the constitution to make sure that it operates as a genuine federal entity,
“The federal spirit of association is a cardinal principle… right now, in principle, this action is against the federal imperative,” he said.