House of Reps Approves Tinubu's Suspension of Fubara, State of Emergency in Rivers

• The house of representatives has passed and adopted the proclamation of President Bola Tinubu on the six-month suspension he slammed on Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers state
• Speaker of the house of representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, announced this after a session on Thursday, March 20
• Legit.ng reports that President Tinubu had written the national assembly a letter of proclamation on the six-month suspension the Nigerian leader slammed on Fubara

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics and governance in Nigeria.

FCT, Abuja - The house of representatives on Thursday, March 20, passed a resolution endorsing the presidential proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers state. As reported by NTA News, 243 lawmakers attended the House's plenary that endorsed the presidential proclamation.

The declaration on Tuesday, March 18, by President Bola Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other top elected officials for six months.

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Speaker of the house of representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said:

"I want the house to note that today’s plenary is being attended by 243 members based on our attendance register. Just for the record, we’ve more than satisfied the requirement for this particular amendment."

Earlier, Ali Isa JC moved a motion for amendment to review the period from six months downward which was seconded by Miriam Onuohs.

Following the development, plenary was adjourned until Tuesday, March 25.

Legal experts like Inibehe Effiong said only the Supreme Court could vindicate the governor—provided he challenges the decision in court.

Effiong stated that the Supreme Court has the mandate to resolve the Rivers case within a month and determine whether Tinubu’s emergency rule declaration is legal or unconstitutional.

For now, the matter will proceed to the Red Chamber, where senators will vote to approve or reject Tinubu’s request for ratification.

The emergency proclamation on Tuesday evening, March 18, sent shockwaves throughout the country as Fubara had not yet been impeached. Tinubu’s activation of Section 305 of the Nigerian constitution to remove an elected governor was widely deemed an overreach of his presidential powers.

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However, attorney general of the federation (AGF) Lateef Fagbemi, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), insisted that Tinubu made the right constitutional call threatening that Tinubu would whip any uncooperative governor into line. The nation's constitution Section 305 allows the president to declare emergency powers over a state to restore order.

Still, it does not say the president can remove existing democratic institutions and replace them with an emergency military rule.

Read more on Rivers' political crisis:

• NBA sends message to Fubara amid political battle in Rivers with Nyesom Wike
• 7 things to know about Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, Rivers state’s new sole administrator

Rivers: Tinubu's govt deploys 10,000 troops

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Tinubu government deployed 10,000 Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel to Rivers state.

The presidential action is to curb further attacks on oil pipelines against the backdrop of the alleged blasts at oil installations in Rivers state between Sunday, March 16, and Tuesday, March 18.

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Afolabi Babawale, NSCDC spokesperson, confirmed the deployment.

Source: Legit.ng