Upon receiving a letter from the president seeking approval for the emergency rule, the Senate, after a closed-door
meeting, has voted in support of the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers state as earlier proclaimed by President Tinubu.
In response to a letter that President Bola Tinubu sent at the beginning of the plenary, formally requesting
constitutional approval for a proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State, the Senate had earlier called an executive session.
In order to consider the request, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele raised Order 1(b) during the session to rearrange the items on the order paper.
At this juncture, Senator Seriake Dickson raised a point of order, prompting an intervention from the Senate President,
who remarked that he had seen Senator Dickson on television expressing reservations about aligning with the Senate’s decision.
After a brief back and forth, Senator Dickson was eventually given the floor, where he clarified that he intended to
highlight specific provisions of the Senate rules.
Citing Order 133, Senator Dickson pointed out that matters concerning a state of emergency require Senate President
Godswill Akpabio to brief lawmakers on the circumstances surrounding the proclamation in a closed session.
The Senate subsequently dissolved into a closed-door session.
In the same vein, the House of Representatives also vote in support of the declaration of a state of emergency in
Rivers State via a voice vote, against the standing rules of the House on such critical issue.
The lawmakers, however, made amendments to the proclamation, including that the National Assembly should make laws for the state during the period.
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In a move that has split Nigerians and has continued to attract severe criticism, President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday
declared a state of emergency in Rivers and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and
members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months following the political crisis that had rocked the state.
But two days after Tinubu’s declaration, the House of Representatives, in a voice vote, backed the President, giving a
seal of approval to his decision. Their support came following a letter from the president.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, presided over the plenary and said 240 lawmakers
attended the session on Thursday in Abuja, while it was 113 actual attendance, less than the 240 needed to form a quorum.
However, the House has made some amendments to the proclamation. These include the set up of a committee of
eminent Nigerians to mediate on the matter during the period of emergency.
It also drew attention to the Constitutional provision that allows the National Assembly to make laws for a state if at
any time the state assembly is unable to perform its functions, disagreeing with Tinubu’s position that the Federal
Executive Council (FEC) would usurp this function.
The House of Representatives also said the state of emergency can be reviewed and terminated at any time within
the initial six months, as proclaimed, based on progress made about peace.
