Low Attendance Forces National Assembly to Postpone Debate on Rivers State Emergency Rule Declaration

Despite assurances of swift debate by the House of Representatives spokesperson, Rep. Akin Rotimi, the House failed to discuss President Bola Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration in Rivers State on Wednesday.

The House postponed the discussion until Thursday’s (March 20) session, expecting a higher turnout of members, as no fewer than 120 lawmakers were present in the 360-member chamber.

Earlier today, the Senate had suspended its debate on declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers which included the suspension of Gov. Siminalayi Fubara.

The nation’s Upper Chamber has fixed Thursday, March 20 for the debate.

Persecondnews reports that the Senate’s postponement was announced after a two-hour delay in commencing its plenary, as the majority of senators had not yet taken their seats.

Prior to the postponement, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central) and the motion’s sponsor, cited Order 1(b) of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended) to step down the debate, which was then delayed until 3.00pm without a detailed explanation.

The motion was seconded by Minority Leader, Sen. Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), and the chamber moved on to the next item without further debate.

But in the House of Representatives today and prior to the plenary session, an argument erupted between two female members of the House, Rep. Marie Ebikake (PDP, Bayelsa) and Rep. Blessing Amadi (PDP, Rivers), over the constitutionality of President Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.

The timely intervention of other lawmakers present in the chamber helped to diffuse the tension and prevent the altercation from escalating further.

Persecondnews reported that President Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, a major oil-producing state in Nigeria’s South-South region, on Tuesday, March 18.

He also imposed a six-month suspension on Fubara, his deputy, and the state lawmakers, as part of measures to restore stability in the state.

He declared: “By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.”

On Wednesday, March 19, Tinubu sworn in retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas as the sole administrator of the state to oversee the state’s affairs until normalcy is restored.

Ibas served as the Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021, during the presidency of Muhammadu Buhari.

The crisis that has crippled governance in Rivers State originates from a power struggle between Gov. Fubara and his predecessor and estranged godfather, Mr. Nyesom Wike, who now serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.