The House of Representatives has approved the state of emergency rule imposed on Rivers State, southern Nigeria, by President Bola Tinubu.
Two Hundred and forty-three (243) members of the House of Representatives who attended the plenary ratified the rule through a voice vote, under the House Standing Order 1, 2 (1) which states that: “a member shall vote according to: (a) his voice, or (b) signing of register in a division, or (c) through electronic voting installed in the House.
After the opening formalities, the speaker, Mr. Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the day’s proceedings called for an executive session.
Immediately after the House emerged from an executive session, the speaker informed members of a communication from President Tinubu and proceeded to read the same.
The President, in his letter, informed the House that he had declared an emergency rule in Rivers State, and suspended the governor, deputy governor, and members of the state House of Assembly.
Read Also: State of Emergency Declaration: Attorney General defends President Tinubu
The House in the Committee of the Whole made three recommendations and they are:
The House recommended that a National Committee on Reconciliation be set up to mitigate and restore peace to Rivers State.
The House also resolved that the National Assembly take over the activities of the state Assembly within the period.
The lawmakers further recommended that the President review and terminate the state of emergency at any given time within the period.
The Speaker opened the floor for members to debate the letter.
The House leader, Prof. Julius Ihonbvere, moved for the suspension of the relevant rules to enable the House to consider the President’s request on the emergency rule in Rivers State
House Leader, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere leading the debate said leaders in the South-South region have failed for not nipping in the bud when the crisis started.
Ihonvbere attributed the escalation of the crisis to the failure of the leaders of the Niger Delta to wade in, saying “It is our primary responsibility to calm the people.”
He said that the President’s decision was to create a platform for Rivers State to move forward.
“But on this issue, let us all step on the precipice. And assist them to have a better population. And let’s begin to work from the ground up to create the processes, the conversations, the negotiations that are necessary. To bring sustainable, credible, lasting, inclusive peace to the state,” Prof Ihonvbere said.
Read Also: President Tinubu swears in Ibas as Rivers State’s Sole Administrator
On his part. Mr. Fredrick Agbedi, member representing Sagbaama/Ekeremor federal constituency of Bayelsa State, urged the speaker to announce the number present to form a quorum and ensure that the proceedings be carried out with integrity according to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
“Our constitution has prescribed what and what to do. It is in the integrity and interest of this house, Mr. Speaker, for you to announce the quorum as we are sitting so that Nigerians will know that we are not circumventing the constitution.
“So Mr. Speaker, honorable colleagues, this is not about either supporting or opposing what Mr. President has said. But because of your impeccable leadership, the kind of leadership you have given to us in this house, and the kind of leadership that Nigerians have come to believe in, Mr. Speaker, it is good enough and I urge you that we comply strictly with the constitution by first transparently announcing the quorum as it is now for us to go into this debate,” he said.
Former Deputy Speaker, Mr. Idris Wase, encouraged members to support the request.
“If I am to speak my mind, I am not going to disobey this very, very decisive decision. I want to believe that Nigeria must move forward. We are not yet at the point of voting. So the point of voting, we are already being raised, but we get to the point of voting. That’s the way it was made,” Mr. Wase said.
NEWS FLASH:
The House of Representatives has approved President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State. The decision was reached by a voice vote from over 240 members during Thursday’s plenary. pic.twitter.com/2NGNEBB7Wh
— Voice of Nigeria (@voiceofnigeria) March 20, 2025
The Deputy Spokesman of the House, Mr. Philip Agbese said that a national committee on reconciliation be set up to mitigate and restore peace to Rivers State.
“One of our major achievements in this house has always been to provide solutions to problems as far as the continent is concerned. We are all aware of the challenges that face us today, the state of our democracy, and we are here as a people, as representatives of Nigerians, to provide solutions and ensure that our democracy works.
“My recommendation is that, as we have seen in time past, when this country was at a point of crisis, when national committees were set, and we have also seen in time past even when there was no constitutional provision, the doctrine of necessity was invoked to give life back to the country.
“The state of emergency has been declared in the state, not because Mr. President hates any of the groups involved, but because Mr. President wants something better for our country. So, Mr. Speaker, I want to recommend that a national committee be set up comprising the executive, members of the parliament, and eminent leaders like we have seen in the past,” Mr. Agbese said.
The member representing Umuahia/Ikwuano Federal Constituency, of Abia State, Mr. Obi Aguocha, raised a constitutional point of order.
Mr. Aguocha, who is a member of the Labour Party ( LP), while citing Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) demanded for a headcount of members to be sure that the House has the required quorum to proceed with the business of the day. Section 305(6)(b) requires that a declaration of emergency rule shall be supported by two/third majority of all the members of each chamber of the National Assembly to be effective.
After the deliberations, the speaker put the question and there was no discerning voice.
Comments are closed.