Senate to deliberate on Rivers emergency rule Thursday

There are indications that the Senate will on Thursday deliberate and approve the state of emergency declared in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.

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The motion for a state of emergency proclamation was initially listed on the Order Paper for debate on Wednesday, with the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, listed as the sponsor.

However, a few minutes into the plenary, Mr Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District, moved a motion to postpone the debate.

The motion was seconded by the Minority Leader, Abba Moro.

In his remark, after the motion was taken, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, stated that the upper chamber has the authority to regulate its proceedings and announced that the debate would be rescheduled for 3:00 p.m.

However, at about 2:40 p.m., the senate leader moved another motion for adjournment, delaying all items on the Order Paper, including the debate on the state of emergency, until the next legislative day.

Again, the minority leader seconded the motion, and the plenary was adjourned till Thursday.

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Although Mr Akpabio did not provide any reason for the adjournment, a source within the Senate alleged that some lawmakers were uncomfortable with the president’s decision, particularly concerning the suspension of the state governor and members of the state House of Assembly.

The source, who did not want his name mentioned, said this prompted further consultations among senators before proceeding with the debate.

Senate to consider proclamation

Speaking with journalists, Ondo South Senator Jimoh Ibrahim confirmed that consideration of the proclamation of emergency rule would take place on Thursday.

Mr Ibrahim, who chairs the Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Activities, explained that the postponement was partly because some senators were fasting.

“First thing tomorrow morning, information will go to other members. Some members are fasting and praying in their homes. Tomorrow, they will be here, and then by 10 o’clock, we pick it up. We are in tandem with Mr President. I am in tandem with Mr President because this borders on life and security. We don’t joke with life and security,” he said.

The senator defended President Tinubu’s decision, clarifying that the president did not dissolve democratic institutions but only suspended them for six months to allow for dialogue and resolution of the crisis.

“And let me say, the president did not dissolve democratic constitutions. The President only suspended for six months, and these six months will enable parties to go to the table, find out their differences, and come so that there can be peace in River State and, by extension, Nigeria. So I think the president has acted in accordance with the constitution,” he said.

Mr Ibrahim argued that suspending democratic institutions during security threats is a global practice and that the president’s actions align with constitutional provisions.

“Like I said, the president did not dissolve democratic institutions. He only suspended them, and that is done anywhere in the world where security is the topmost on the dashboard of Mr. President’s agenda, the Hope Agenda for 2027.”

Quorum

Mr Ibrahim also dismissed the speculations that the Senate adjourned the plenary without deliberating on the state of emergency proclamation because it could not muster two-thirds ⅔ of its members required by the constitution to approve the president’s request.

He said democracy is about participation and that the number of senators present was enough to proceed.

The two-thirds (⅔) of the Senate is 73, and the number of senators who signed the register for Tuesday’s plenary was 78, including the presiding and principal officers.

“The Senate is a democratic institution, and the Senate has given room for more members who were not aware of this yesterday but got to know about it today to be able to come tomorrow and air their views.

“Democracy is about numbers, it’s about participation. So what we are saying is that we can adjourn it to tomorrow in order to give room for more people to come. We formed a quorum today, and 68 people signed the register. Even though there are 10 leaders of the Senate to reach, we are more than a quorum.

“We could as well go on, but we don’t want people to say, ‘Oh, it was 3 “o’clock they brought it when members are already praying. They are fasting, and then there are not many people on the floor, that is when they pass the proclamation.’ No,” Mr Ibrahim said.

President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday. He said the move was to curtail the protracted political crisis in the state.