The Senate has suspended its plenary and announced that the debate on the state of emergency imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu would be postponed to Thursday.
The delay followed a two-hour hold-up in the start of the plenary, as many senators across party lines had not yet taken their seats. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), who sponsored the motion, moved to postpone the debate, citing Order 1(b) of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended).
This motion was seconded by Minority Leader Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), and the chamber moved on to the next item without further discussion.
The motion, as proposed by Bamidele, raised concerns about the deteriorating security situation in Rivers State, noting the growing threat of militancy and incidents of oil pipeline vandalism. The motion stressed the urgent need for extraordinary measures to restore peace, order, and governance in the state.
To approve the declaration, the Senate requires a two-thirds majority (73 out of 109 senators) to allow the emergency rule to take effect. There were concerns that the Senate may not meet the required majority on Thursday.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, put the motion to a voice vote, and the majority of senators responded affirmatively to the suspension of the debate and plenary.
On Tuesday, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
In a national broadcast, Tinubu cited prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats as the primary reasons for this decision. The crisis, which has paralyzed governance in the state, stems from a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
To manage the state during this period, President Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.), a former Chief of Naval Staff, as the sole administrator for Rivers State until normalcy is restored.
