March 19, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Senate has postponed its consideration and possible approval of the State of Emergency imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu to Thursday, March 20, 2025.
The Red Chamber rescheduled its debate on the matter to 3 PM, following a motion moved at plenary on Wednesday, by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central).
Amid an escalating political crisis in Rivers State, President Tinubu declared a State of Emergency in a nationwide address on Tuesday evening, suspending the executive and the legislature. He appointed retired naval officer Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas as administrator.
“This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution,” the President said.
To approve the declaration, the Senate requires a two-thirds majority (73 out of 109 senators) to enact the emergency rule.
By 3 PM, amid tensions over concerns that the Senate might fail to meet the threshold, Bamidele moved another motion to further defer the debate, citing Order 1(b) of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended).
Senate President Godswill Akpabio conducted a voice vote, with lawmakers present supporting the postponement and suspending plenary until Thursday, 20 March 2025.
Earlier, two members of the House of Representatives, Marie Ebikake and Blessing Amadi, engaged in a heated argument over the emergency declaration.
Ebikake (representing Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency, Bayelsa) and Amadi (Port Harcourt Two Federal Constituency, Rivers State) clashed minutes before the plenary commenced. The disagreement arose during discussions about the Rivers crisis, escalating into shouts and finger-pointing.
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