Kenneth Okonkwo, an actor-turned-politician and former Labour Party member, has fiercely criticized General Bola Tinubu for suspending elected officials in Rivers State and imposing what he calls an unconstitutional state of emergency.
Speaking on Monday, March 24, 2025, Okonkwo branded Tinubu’s actions as treasonous and criminal, accusing him of orchestrating a “martial law” takeover by appointing a sole administrator after suspending peoples elected Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and state lawmakers.
“General Tinubu has effectively sidelined the Constitution, including Section 1, which mandates governance in line with its provisions,” Okonkwo said. “Appointing a sole administrator is foreign to our Constitution—it’s not even contemplated. What he’s done is impose martial law, which is illegal, unconstitutional, and outright criminal. This is the true treason—usurping the National Assembly’s authority to legislate for Rivers State.”
Okonkwo, a trained lawyer, argued that the Constitution clearly outlines procedures for electing and removing governors and lawmakers—processes he claims Tinubu bypassed. “He didn’t declare a state of emergency; he staged a coup against the people of Rivers,” he asserted. “Sections 179 and 180 detail how a governor is elected, and Sections 188 and 189 specify removal. For lawmakers, Sections 117 and 110 apply. The law is crystal clear, yet he ignored it.”
He further condemned General Tinubu’s decision to allocate state funds to the sole administrator, calling it unconstitutional, especially since Rivers State lacks a 2025 budget. “The Supreme Court has already ruled that no appropriation bill or law exists for the state,” Okonkwo noted. “This move is a blatant violation of legal and democratic norms.”
