PARIS OLYMPIC GAMES
Barely an hour after the House of Representatives’ approval, the Senate has given its nod to the state of emergency imposed by President Bola Tinubu on Rivers State three days ago.
The decision, which was announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, was adopted unanimously by senators
after a closed-door session that lasted more than an hour on Thursday.
The approval included a resolution “that Section 11 of Section 4 of the Constitution be invoked to provide the National Assembly the authority to set up a joint ad hoc committee of both chambers to oversee the administration of Rivers State henceforth.”
Section 305(6)(b) states that a proclamation issued by the President under this section shall cease to have effect “if it affects the Federation or any part thereof and within two days when the National Assembly is in session, or within ten days when the National Assembly is not in session, after its publication, there is no resolution supported by a two-thirds majority of all the members of each House of the National Assembly approving the proclamation.”
The Senate said the emergency rule should not last more than six months.
The Senate further resolved 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 emergency.
While announcing the approval of the emergency rule, Akpabio said relevant sections of the Constitution and Senate standing rules had been complied with.
He said: “The Senate hereby approves the proclamation of the State of Emergency declared by Mr. President in Rivers State of Nigeria as amended, pursuant to Section 60 of the Constitution, Section 305, and pursuant to our Rules of the Standing Orders of the Senate and also pursuant to Senate Rules 134, 135, and 136 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Let me thank you for your cooperation and patriotic zeal as enunciated, as expressed, as restated, and as displayed on the floor of the Senate today.
“It is our hope that this declaration of the State of Emergency in Rivers State by Mr. President will bring peace and ensure a speedy resolution of all the issues that led to the unrest.
“I hope that all will abide by this and use this window of opportunity within the next six months to resolve all these issues so that we can have peace and tranquillity with good governance in Rivers State of Nigeria.”
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