As some political analysts have predicted, Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Thursday approved the President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, along with the six-month suspension of the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and all elected members of the state’s House of Assembly.
The Speaker of the House, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, had, before the approval of the declaration, read a letter from the President, notifying the House of the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
The lawmakers, through voice vote, approved the President’s declaration during plenary at the Green Chamber.
Prior to the approval, the Speaker who presided over the plenary, called on members to make their contributions during the consideration of the general principles of the President’s report.
In his contribution, Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Philip Agbese recommended the setting up of a national mediation committee to broker peace between Governor Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly, which was agreed to by the House.
Also, the Minority Whip of the House, Hon. Ali Isa, recommended that the six-month suspension on the Rivers Governor and the State Legislature should not be cast in stone.
He canvassed: “If peace is reached between the two parties, the emergency rule should be lifted before six months.”
The House also granted the lawmaker’s prayers
During the plenary, attempts by one of the lawmakers, Hon. 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 before such a request could be deliberated upon, was overruled by the Speaker.
