A leading human rights advocate has issued a strong warning that emergency powers granted to the President must not be used to override the democratic mandate freely given to elected officials by the people.
Amb. Abdullahi Bakoji Adamu, Country Director of the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) in Nigeria, gave the warning in an exclusive interview following a recent Supreme Court ruling affirming the President’s authority to proclaim a state of emergency and remove elected officials. While acknowledging that such powers exist for responding to crises, Adamu stressed that they require extreme caution and robust constitutional safeguards to prevent abuse.
“The removal of duly elected officials through emergency proclamation raises serious concerns,” he stated. He emphasized that emergency measures must be “proportionate, time-bound, and subject to effective legislative and judicial oversight,” and must never become a substitute for constitutional democracy.
Disclaimer:
This report is based on an exclusive interview with a human rights official. The views expressed are focused on constitutional principles and are not a commentary on any specific current event.
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