Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has raised the alarm that President Bola Tinubu is attempting to legitimise illegality in Rivers State using the National Assembly.

George’s warning came amid the ongoing state of emergency in the state, which was declared by the President on March 18, 2025.

This is as the elder stateman stated that the PDP is still active, contrary to opinions that the party is dead.

According to George, Tinubu’s request to the National Assembly for approval of key appointments in the state is a clear attempt to give a veneer of legitimacy to an inherently illegal situation.

“The President is trying to use the National Assembly to legitimise illegality in Rivers State,” George said, adding, “This is a blatant disregard for the Constitution and the rule of law.”

Speaking yesterday in Lagos, George stressed that the National Assembly’s role is to check the executive branch of government, not to rubber-stamp its actions, noting that the President’s actions are a threat to Nigeria’s democracy and stability.

He warned that the current trajectory poses a significant risk to the country’s future, particularly if the executive branch continues to disregard the Constitution and the rule of law. “Enough is enough,” George said, calling on Nigerians to speak out against the President’s actions.

In a letter presented and read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during a plenary session, the President requested confirmation for the appointment of a Chairman and six members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC). These nominees were proposed by Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), the Sole Administrator responsible for overseeing the state’s affairs.

The President underscored the necessity of these appointments to facilitate effective governance during the emergency period and to assist the administrator in managing state functions efficiently.

The request also includes confirmations for positions within the Rivers State Primary Healthcare Board, the Rivers State Civil Service Commission, and the Rivers State Local Government Civil Service Commission.

MEANWHILE, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), Initiative for Freedom, Conflict Preservation and Social Integration, has filed a lawsuit against the President, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and Sole Administrator of Rivers State, challenging the legality of the President’s actions in suspending the Governor of the state and appointing a Sole Administrator.

The group’s Originating Summons seeks the court’s determination on two key issues, whether the President’s proclamation suspending the governor is ultra vires and grossly illegal, contravening Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.