Abuja, Nigeria — Di House of Representatives don approve President Bola Tinubu request to declare state of emergency for Rivers State. Dis approval happen on Thursday during plenary, despite no meet constitutional requirement for quorum. Di lawmakers agree say National Assembly go dey serve as di legislative arm for Rivers State as di emergency dey run.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas confirm say 240 lawmakers attend di session, wey don meet di required two-thirds majority for di House. Dem resolve say rather than dey depend on Federal Executive Council, di solo administrator wey Tinubu appoint go relate directly with di National Assembly during dis period.
Hon. Odinaka Miriam Onuoha from Okigwe North constituency support di motion and call for reduction of six-month suspension for Governor Siminalayi Fubara and others. “I second di motion for us to cut di period short,” she talk during di session.
President Tinubu declare di state of emergency due to ongoing political crisis wey dey grip Rivers State, including allegations of power struggle and legislative issues. Di decision don spark controversy, with several Nigerians questioning di motive behind am.
Some lawmakers like Obinna Aguocha from Abia State raise constitutional issues, asking for proper headcount and adherence to Section 305 of di Constitution. Dis section require two-thirds approval from di House for di president’s declaration to hold.
Despite di tension, dem no allow Aguocha finish as some members continue dey shout “Sit down!” while others call for quick deliberation on di motion. Honourable Frederick Agbedi from Bayelsa support Aguocha’s point, insisting on transparency in di proceedings.
During di debate, former Deputy Speaker Idris Wase urge his colleagues to allow di discussion flow before raising issues with di constitutional threshold. “Most of dis matters don resolve already, we gree for di economic reasons to approve di request,” he contributor talk.
As di discussion dey go on, all amendments proposed by di members wey support di emergency declaration don dey unanimously approve. Delta lawmaker Benedict Etanabene suggest say di National Assembly should take over di functions of di Rivers State Assembly during di emergency, and dis suggestion also pass with ojoro.
Deputy Spokesperson of di House, Philip Agbese, call for formation of national committee wey go include respected Nigerians and government officials to help mediate di crisis wey dey happen for Rivers State.
As di session conclude, Speaker Abbas remind di members say 243 of dem attend di plenary based on attendance register, ensuring say dem don satisfy di requirement to proceed with di amendment. Di Senate now go decide if go follow di House approval for di emergency declaration.
Nigerians don dey watch keenly as di political atmosphere dey heat up, with some legal experts already planning to challenge di declaration in court. Di crisis wey don lead to dis emergency don raise eyebrows across di country, with many seeing am as a way to tighten federal control over state matters.
