The National Assembly (NASS), comprised of the Senate and House of Representatives, on Thursday ratified the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers by President Bola Tinubu.
The president had, on Tuesday in a nationwide broadcast, declared a state of emergency in Rivers.
The declaration saw the suspension of the governor, his deputy and members of state House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
However, the declaration must be ratified by the two arms of the National Assembly within two days of the declaration, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), otherwise the action become a nullity.
The senate ratification on Thursday followed the consideration of a request to that effect from the president at plenary on Thursday.
Tinubu had written to senate to expeditiously consider the proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers, suspending from office the governor, his deputy and members of the house of assembly.
After the reading of the letter by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidela (APC-Ekiti), moved a motion for the re-ordering of the items on the order paper.
The motion was seconded by Sen. Abba Moro (PDP-Benue).
A point order was, however, raised by Sen. Henry Dickson (PDP-Bayelsa), which made the senate to resolve to go into a close session to deliberate on the matter.
Arising from the close session, the senate ratified the proclamation of the state of emergency in the state.
Akpabio, in his remarks after the close session, said that the senate invoked its powers, as conferred on it by Section 305(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and approved the proclamation.
“Senate invoked its powers, as conferred on it by Section 305, Subsection 2 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) and approved the proclamation of the state of emergency declared by Mr President in Rivers State.
“The senate further directs that the declaration of the state of emergency stated in the proclamation document and hereby mandates the president to review and even to terminate the state of emergency at any given time, but not later than six months.
“The senate further resolves that Section 11, Subsection 4 be invoked in providing the national assembly the authority to set up a Joint Committee of both chambers to oversight the administration of Rivers state henceforth.
“The senate further resolves that a committee of eminent Nigerians be set up to reconcile the warring groups within the government of Rivers state within the period of the state of emergency.”
At the House of Representatives
Earlier at the House of Representatives on Thursday, the members unanimously approved the state of emergency declared in Rivers by President Bola Tinubu.
The house, while approving the state of emergency, however, made three amendments to the president’s request.
The Speaker, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, had earlier read Tinubu’s request and thereafter subjected it to debate.
The Majority Leader, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere, urged the House to conduct their duties in accordance with the constitution and for posterity sake.
Ihonvbere also enjoined his colleagues to focus on what would benefit the people of in making their decisions.
In his own submission, Rep. Ben Etanabene, representing Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Federal Constituency of Delta, disagreed with the president over where the sole administrator would be reporting to.
Etanabene amended the request by saying that the sole administrator should be allowed to be, instead reporting to the National Assembly.
Another lawmaker, Rep. Ali Isa, representing Balanga/Biliri federal constituency of Gombe, called for a review of the timeline for the state of emergency.
Isa suggested that the president could lift the state of emergency in less than six months if the state was certified peaceful.
Also the lawmaker representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo of Benue, Rep. Philip Agbese, called on the Federal Government to constitute a committee that would work toward achieving the desired peace in the state.
The speaker, thereafter, inserted in the emergency request that a national committee should be set up to mediate and ensure that peace prevailed in Rivers.
He also inserted in the request that the sole administrator be made to be reporting to the national assembly.
Abbas equally inserted in the amended request that the state of emergency be lifted at any time before the stipulated six months, if peace was restored in the troubled state.
