Nigeria, March 19 -- The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) said President Bola Tinubu lacks the constitutional power to remove Governor Siminalayi Fubara under the pretext of declaring a state of emergency.

Mr Tinubu, in a Tuesday night broadcast, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Mr Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and the State Assembly for an "initial period of six months."

In making the proclamation, the president said his action was in line with section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

"It has become inevitably compelling for me to invoke the provision of Section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State with effect fro...