Reps Clash Ahead Rivers Emergency Rule Debate

Members of the House of Representatives engaged in a heated exchange as the green chamber prepared to debate the emergency rule in Rivers State on Wednesday.

The Tide source reports that two female members shouted at each other over the political crisis in the South-South State.

The two female lawmakers, Marie Ebikake (PDP, Bayelsa) and Blessing Amadi (PDP, Rivers), engaged in a shouting match on the constitutionality of the President’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.

This happened before the commencement of the plenary.

It took the intervention of other lawmakers in the chamber to prevent the issue from snowballing into an uncontrollable situation.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following the prolonged political crisis in the state.

The president also suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly for six months.

President Tinubu also nominated a former Chief Of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), to administer the state.

Reacting, the spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Akin Rotimi, said President Tinubu informed the national assembly through a letter before the emergency proclamation.

Hon. Rotimi added that President Tinubu’s letter informing the House of his decision and seeking approval on the state of emergency in Rivers in line with section 305 of the Constitution had been transmitted to the green chamber and would be read during plenary on Wednesday for further legislative action.

He said President Tinubu met with the leadership of both chambers, and the National Security Adviser and Service Chiefs before the broadcast.