There are indications that Nigerian lawmakers at the National Assembly are under pressure to rectify the state of emergency declared by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Rivers State.
A reliable source at the country’s National Assembly, who preferred anonymity, confirmed this to Politico Gazette on Wednesday night.
The development comes as Tinubu has till today, Thursday, as required by the Nigerian Constitution, to rectify the state of emergency proclamation in Rivers State.
Recall that President Tinubu on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended all democratically elected authorities, including Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and members of the state house of assembly.
The decision by Tinubu elicited condemnations from many Nigerians.
The president had cited insecurity and an unresolved crisis in the state as reasons for the state of emergency declaration inline with Section 305 of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution.
While there are replete interpretations of section 303 of the Nigerian Constitution, part of the section requires that Tinubu’s state of emergency proclamation “must be presented before the National Assembly for approval within two days (if in session) or ten days (if not in session), failing which it ceases to have effect.”
Politico Gazette reports that both chambers of the National Assembly did not rectify the Rivers State of Emergency proclamation by President Tinubu during their plenary on Wednesday.
This means Tinubu is under pressure to make sure the emergency rule proclamation in Rivers is rectified by the National Assembly on Thursday.
Reacting to the matters, a reliable source at the National Assembly confirmed that the lawmakers are likely to rectify the emergency rule proclamation in Rivers State on Thursday (today).
“I can reliably tell you that the proclamation will be rectified on Thursday. Many of us have been approached,” the source said.
However, Politico Gazette was unable to confirm this claim with the official spokespersons of the National Assembly, who are Akin Rotimi for the House of Representatives and Yemi Adaramodu for the Senate.
Recall that on Wednesday, President Tinubu swore in Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the sole administrator of Rivers State.
Organised unions, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, on Wednesday condemned the state of emergency in Rivers and immediately called for its reversal.
Opposition leaders, including the Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the People’s Democratic Party and Labour Party in the 2023 election and senior lawyers, have also all criticized Tinubu’s decision.
