The Nigerian Senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing political tensions and security concerns
This move comes amid a deepening crisis involving Governor Siminalayi Fubara and state lawmakers, as well as recent cases of pipeline vandalism.
As part of the emergency measures, the Senate has suspended Governor Fubara, his deputy, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months. The decision was announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio following a closed-door session on Thursday, where lawmakers invoked Senate Orders 133, 134, 135, and 136 to justify their approval. The House of Representatives had earlier given its endorsement of the emergency rule.
In his proclamation, President Tinubu appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the military administrator of Rivers State while allowing the judiciary to continue functioning. This marks the first time in over a decade that emergency rule has been imposed in Nigeria.
However, the decision has sparked controversy, with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) condemning the suspension of elected officials as unconstitutional. The NBA argues that a state of emergency does not automatically dissolve or suspend a democratically elected government.
The declaration has drawn mixed reactions, with some supporting the intervention to restore stability, while others see it as a political maneuver that undermines democracy in the oil-rich state.
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