The House of Representatives has approved President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, along with the six-month suspension of Governor Sim Fubara, his deputy and all elected members of the assembly.
The much anticipated approval was handed down via a voice vote during plenary on Thursday.
The Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the plenary, called on members to make their contribution during the consideration of the general principles of the President’s report.
In his contribution, Benue lawmaker and Deputy Spokesman of the House, Philip Agbese recommended the setting up of a national mediation committee to broker peace between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly. This prayer was approved by the House.
On his part, the Minority Whip of the House recommended that the six-month suspension on the Rivers Governor and the State Legislature should not be cast in stone.
“If peace is reached between the two parties, the emergency rule should be lifted before six months,” he said, a prayer the House also granted.
Several lawmakers expressed their support for the state of emergency, highlighting the urgent need to address the security challenges in Rivers State. They argued that the declaration would enable the federal government to deploy additional security resources and implement measures to quell the violence and restore normalcy.
However, some legislators raised concerns about the potential for abuse of power and the impact on civil liberties. They called for strict oversight to ensure that the state of emergency is implemented in a manner that respects the rights of citizens and is limited to the duration necessary to achieve its objectives.
The speaker had earlier read a letter from the President notifying the House of the declaration of a state of emergency in the state.
Before the letter was read, the House dissolved into an executive session which lasted for about 10 minutes.
An attempt by the Abia lawmaker, Obi Agwuncha, to stop the debate on the general principles of the letter citing Section 305 (6b) of the Constitution, which requires that the House must have two-thirds of its members in plenary, was overruled by the Speaker.
