Victor EzejaThe Nigerian Senate on Thursday approved the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State made by President Bola Tinubu.
Earlier in the day, the House of Representatives also passed a resolution adopting Tinubu’s emergency rule proclamation in Rivers State through a voice vote with 243 members in attendance.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe National Assembly granted the approval in line with provisions of Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
The House resolved and directed that the sole Administrator should report to the National Assembly, not the Federal Executive Council (FEC), citing section 11 subsection 4 of the Constitution.
READ ALSO: Emergency Rule In Rivers: Fubara Urges Residents To Remain Peaceful, Law-abiding
The House also made some recommendations to the proclamation which include that a national committee should be formed up to mitigate and restore peace in Rivers State and that the National Assembly should take over the activities of the State Assembly within six months.
With this consent, President Tinubu is granted the authority to implement emergency rule in the oil-rich South-South state, and he is also mandated to conduct a review of the situation at any time, but no later than six months from now.
Tinubu had on Tuesday night during a nationwide broadcast declared a state of emergency in Rivers State. He suspended the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his Deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
He also appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas as the administrator of Rivers State.
The declaration has elicited mixed reactions. While some supported it as an expedient way of restoring stability in the state, others kicked against it, saying the president’s declaration was unconstitutional. According to them, the president, as stipulated in the 1999 constitution, lacks the power to remove a democratically elected governor under the guise of emergency rule declaration.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
