The National Assembly is set to consider President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s letter on the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State during today’s plenary session.
The letter, initially scheduled for reading in both chambers yesterday, was postponed in the Senate due to an insufficient number of lawmakers required to approve the measure. The Senate needs at least 73 votes to ratify the state of emergency, but many senators were absent due to Ramadan fasting and the ongoing lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
To ensure a quorum for today’s debate, senators outside Abuja have been recalled to attend the session. Confirming the development, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, Jimoh Ibrahim, assured that the motion would be considered today.
In the House of Representatives, the reading of the President’s letter was also delayed, reportedly due to internal tensions among lawmakers. The chamber witnessed heated exchanges, with two female lawmakers, Blessing Amadi (PDP, Rivers) and Marie Ebikake, engaging in a shouting match over the constitutionality of the emergency rule declaration.
Some lawmakers attempted to intervene, while others banged their tables in protest, chanting that the motion would not be discussed. Order was restored when Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session, acknowledged the presence of students on an excursion.
Despite the postponement, some lawmakers remain confident that the President’s letter will be tabled for debate today.
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