THE Senate yesterday ratified the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the president had, on Tuesday in a nationwide broadcast, declared a state of emergency in Rivers.
However, the declaration must be ratified by the two arms of the National Assembly within two days of the declaration, as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), otherwise the action becomes a nullity.
The Senate ratification on Thursday followed the consideration of a request to that effect from the president at plenary on Thursday.
Tinubu had written to the Senate to expeditiously consider the proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending the governor, his deputy and members of the State House of Assembly.
After the reading of the letter by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidela (APC-Ekiti), moved a motion for the re-ordering of the items on the order paper.
The motion was seconded by Sen. Abba Moro (PDP-Benue). A point of order, was however, raised by Sen. Henry Dickson (PDP-Bayelsa), which made the Senate to resolve to go into a closed session to deliberate on the matter.
NAN reports that arising from the closed session, the Senate ratified the proclamation of the state of emergency in the state.
Akpabio, in his remarks after the closed session, said that the Senate invoked its powers, as conferred on it by Section 305(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and approved the proclamation.
“Senate invoked its powers, as conferred on it by Section 305, Subsection 2 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) and approved the proclamation of the state of emergency declared by Mr. President in Rivers State.
“The Senate further ratifies the declaration of the state of emergency stated in the proclamation document and hereby mandates the president to review and even to terminate the state of emergency at any given time, but not later than six months.
