FG Gazette On Emergency Rule Shows That Jonathan Lied – ACN

SoENatMirrPresident Goodluck Jonathan has been accused by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) of engaging in total deceit by saying the democratic structures in the states where he declared a state of emergency will be kept intact, when in fact he has seized power in those states and castrated democracy there.

The party in a statement issued in Kaduna on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, quoted from the President’s nationwide speech on May 14th, thus:

“The details of this Proclamation will be transmitted to the National Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. But in the meantime, let me make it clear that within the purview of this Proclamation, the Governors and other political office holders in the affected states will continue to discharge their constitutional responsibilities.”

ACN, however, said “The gazette published by the Federal Government on the declaration showed that the President has virtually eviscerated the democratic structure and stripped the political office holders of their constitutional responsibilities, thereby reversing the assurance he gave in his speech on the declaration.”

The party also warned that “Unless this despotic tendency is checked, nothing prevents the President, in the name of the ongoing fight against Boko Haram, from extending this power grab to other states that catch his fancy.”