Equity Chambers Blog.

  The Rivers State Crisis: A Constitutional Debate By Hon. Lawson Oghenetejirhi Sorhue, SAL, SANL Introduction : The political crisis in Rivers State has ignited a fierce debate about the limits of presidential power in Nigeria. At its core are two provocative questions: Can the President constitutionally suspend a sitting governor, and is the appointment of an administrator legally defensible? This article explores these issues through the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , relevant case law, and statutory provisions, weighing the arguments and drawing on historical context to fuel the discussion. Recent developments—namely, the National Assembly’s sanctioning of the President’s state of emergency declaration and possibly all attending issues under Section 11(4) [1] —add a critical layer to this analysis.   Can The President Constitutionally Suspend A Sitting Governor? The notion of a Nigerian President suspending a sitting Governor, Deputy Gov...

On July 26, 2024, Premium Times reported that Inspector-general of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun acknowledged the constitutionality of the #EndBadGovernance protests. However, the IGP stated some conditions that the protesters must satisfy before proceeding with the protests. These conditions include: The protesters should disclose proposed protest routes and assembly points. They should state the expected duration of the protest. They should provide the names and contact details of protest leaders and organisers. The Inspector General of Police’s statement has led Nigerians to wonder about the following two key questions: Do Nigerians have the right to protest? Is the stipulation of conditions for the protests constitutional? In this article, we'll answer these questions. Let's get started.  Do Nigerians Have the Right to Protest? The right of citizens to protest against bad governance was specifically recognised by the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, in the case of Inspector...