By Eric Elezuo
Reports reaching The Boss say that the National Assembly comprising the Senate and the House of Representatives, have plans to employ voice vote of ‘yea’ and ‘nay’ to validate or otherwise the emergency rule declaration on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
Quoting an undisclosed source during a live discussion on Arise News Television, one of the presenters, Rufai Oseni, said that the National Assembly has decided to use voice vote where voters will not be known contrary to the provision of the constitution of the country, which stipulates two-third of votes before the President’s emergency declaration can have the backing of the law.
Analyzing the numbers, the presenters comprising Reuben Abati, Ayo Mairo-Ese and Rufai Oseni, noted that while the the House of Representatives requires at least 270 Affirmative votes for the motion, the Senate needs at least 73 affi4mative votes.
They further reasoned that the ruling All Progressives Congress does not have the number, and would require the help of the opposition to achieve the validation.
However, Abati called on the opposition to defend the Nigerian constitution by rejecting the President’s pronouncement.
Recall that following political crises that have rocked Rivers State in the last 18 months, Tinubu, after taking instructions from the Attorney General, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, declared a state of emergency, sacking the governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and other elected officers of the state. The move has raised condemnation from well meaning Nigerians as individuals and corporate entities.
The National Assembly is expected to debate matter this Thursday as the 48 hours window provided by the constitution elapses today, just Nigerians demand a live broadcast of the proceedings so that every citizen will be carried along.
