The recent Supreme Court ruling upholding the powers of the President to declare a state of emergency has caused reactions from Political commentator Mahdi Shehu, who warned that Nigeria’s democracy is under serious threat.
The apex court, on Monday in a split decision of six-to-one, held that the President has the constitutional authority to declare a state of emergency in any state to prevent a breakdown of law and order or degeneration into chaos.
The court further ruled that during such emergency, the President can suspend elected officials, but only for a limited period.
In the lead majority judgment, Justice Mohammed Idris stated that “Section 305 of the Constitution empowers the President to deploy extraordinary measures to restore normalcy where emergency rule is declared.”
He added that the section does not specify the nature of these extraordinary measures, thereby granting the President the discretion on how to go about it.
Reacting to the ruling in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST on Monday, Mahdi Shehu expressed deep concern over what he described as unprecedented overreach by the executive.
“If the President of Nigeria can remove a sitting governor, a serving senator, or a member of the National Assembly without consulting them, then God save democracy,” Shehu said.
He further listed a series of actions he says threaten democratic governance:
“Declaring emergency rules at will; Moving army troops out of the country without National Assembly approval.
“Resorting to local and foreign borrowing without legislative consent, granting amnesty to convicted murderers, fraudsters, and other criminals without approval, spending public money without appropriation, operating multiple budgetary appropriation laws simultaneously.
“If these powers are left unchecked, democracy in Nigeria is at the risk of collapse. Then, God save Nigeria, God save Nigerians… and to your tents, oh Israelites.”
End of road for democracy – Mahdi Shehu reacts on Supreme Court ruling
