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A heated exchange erupted in the House of Representatives as lawmakers prepared to debate the state of emergency in Rivers State.
According to PUNCH Online, two female lawmakers—Marie Ebikake (PDP, Bayelsa) and Blessing Amadi (PDP, Rivers)—engaged in a shouting match over the constitutionality of President Bola Tinubu’s decision. The confrontation occurred before the plenary session began and was only diffused after the intervention of other lawmakers.
President Tinubu declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months. He appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), a former Chief of Naval Staff, as the state’s sole administrator.
In response to concerns about the legality of the move, House of Representatives spokesperson Akin Rotimi confirmed that Tinubu had officially informed the National Assembly before making the emergency proclamation. According to Rotimi, the president’s letter, which seeks parliamentary approval in line with Section 305 of the Constitution, was transmitted to the green chamber and scheduled to be read during Wednesday’s plenary.
Rotimi also disclosed that before the announcement, Tinubu consulted with the leadership of both legislative chambers, the National Security Adviser, and Service Chiefs to discuss the security and political situation in Rivers.
