Lawmakers clash over emergency rule in Rivers

Two female members of the House of Representatives, Marie Ebikake and Blessing Amadi, on Wednesday, engaged in a heated argument over the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.

The argument started a few minutes before the commencement of the plenary as a general discussion among lawmakers about the political crisis in Rivers.

However, tensions escalated when the two lawmakers began to exchange words, pointing fingers at each other in a heated dispute over the legality and necessity of the emergency rule.

Mrs Ebikake represents Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State, while Mrs Amadi represents Port Harcourt 2 Federal Constituency of Rivers State.

Other lawmakers, including Mark Esset, representing Nsit Atai/Ibesikpo Asutan/Uruan/Uyo federal constituency, were also heard shouting, “Is this democracy?”.

President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State during a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday night and announced a six-month suspension of Governor Siminilayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the State House of Assembly.

The president appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice admiral and former chief of naval staff, as Rivers’s sole administrator.

Mr Ibas will govern the state for the next six months, but his policies have to be approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The president justified his actions with the argument that the situation in Rivers would hinder democracy and also strip the people of the state of the benefits of democratic government.

Mr Tinubu also referenced the demolition of the State House of Assembly as one of the reasons that prompted him to declare a state of emergency. He lamented that he had not rebuilt the complex 14 months after Mr Fubara demolished it.

Although the two chambers of the National Assembly have to approve the state of emergency before it becomes effective, President Tinubu has since inaugurated Mr Ibas.