NewStats: 3,261,449 , 8,174,057 topics. Date: Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 10:29 AM 2p364w

President Bola Tinubu’s emergency proclamation in Rivers faced a major hurdle on Wednesday after lawmakers failed to attend the plenary.

Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution mandates ratification of the president’s state of emergency directive with two-thirds of votes in the House of Representatives and the Senate, which was be done within two days of the order. Mr Tinubu announced the removal of Governor Simi Fubara of Rivers on Tuesday evening, promptly replacing him with a retired military chief Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas.

But the lower parliamentary body convened on Wednesday morning with less than 80 lawmakers present, Peoples Gazette can report after obtaining a roll call, falling significantly short of the 120 needed to form a simple quorum in the 360-member legislature.

The House rules require a one-third quorum to take any binding action that could withstand a legal challenge in federal courts. A plenary that is not attended by up to 120 lawmakers can only resolutions, hear petitions, and debate motions and similar activities that carry no enforcement mechanism.

The House has the emergency proclamation listed on its business today under messages from the president, The Gazette found.

Lawmakers said the House could still vote on the matter without a quorum, but it would be an illegal action that could easily struck down in courts.

“People have been debating whether the president has powers to declare emergency rule in the first place,” a lawmaker said. “Purporting to ratify the state of emergency without a quorum of the House will only compound the illegality and make the atrocity even more transparent to all Nigerians.”

The Gazette heard that many lawmakers stayed away to avoid going on the record ing what constitutional scholars have widely condemned as brazen illegality.

The Nigerian Constitution authorised the president to declare an emergency in all or parts of Nigeria, but no provision allowed the removal of a state governor by the president.

In 2013, former President Goodluck Jonathan invoked similar powers to take over security in Boko-Haram-ravaged Borno and Yobe states. Still, he left their respective elected governors and democratic institutions in place.

Mr Tinubu, the opposition leader back then, condemned Mr Jonathan’s action. He, however, now defends his rights to invoke the same constitutional provision in an even more expansive dimension.

Details shortly…

https://gazettengr.com/just-in-house-of-reps-fails-to-make-quorum-as-lawmakers-abstain-to-sabotage-tinubus-emergency-rule-in-rivers/

Lol. Tinubu does not need them. He is a god, he can do without them.

NGsultan:


https://gazettengr.com/just-in-house-of-reps-fails-to-make-quorum-as-lawmakers-abstain-to-sabotage-tinubus-emergency-rule-in-rivers/

Tinubu is not a smart person and easily controlled by his emotions and has no integrity or reputation , how can you allow a drunkard like Wike to destroy you because of River state votes, Tinubu you are a disgrace and biggest fool ever

I said it that this state of emergency madness by the president will not stand

This is a good strategy.

Eme is a Tinubu man and he will be doing the job of his life.

Yea will still have it. Iam afraid how grown up men are behaving as kids to one man's dictate. Nigeria we wail thee

Tinubu threw himself into the ring that was supposed to be wike vs fabura

Now if the Nass fails to give go ahead
His influence further wains politically
Las las he has caused his see finish

If he gets away with the illegality the court will this time around be forced to interpret...this one choke FCT matter. The constitution is clear with regards to his powers to invoke SOE yes but also the constitution is still clear he possess no power to suspend or set aside democratic institutions of a state consequently appointing military rule in such state

Moreso is the economic hardship that will double with fallout with the ND boys

tundegan:
This is a good strategy.

Eme is a Tinubu man and he will be doing the job of his life.

Eme? I swear una bots no get brain.

tundegan:
This is a good strategy.

Eme is a Tinubu man and he will be doing the job of his life.

seun, I hope you can see your BOTS RUNNING RIOT HERE...

Your site has become a cesspool of gross stupidity, unintelligent and ignorance. So sad!!

Sheuns:


Eme? I swear una bots no get brain.

Those guys has nothing upstairs, just trolling everyday for 30k

I am sure that tinubu took that advise from wike, very foolish, how can you remove a democratically elected governor and impose a military official in a democratic settings

An agbero is always an agbero.

They are playing with fire.

Tinubu only fight dictators to become one.

Tomorrow still dey, the APC reps are enough to form quorum. Don't see any issues with Tinubu having his way in the NASS.

Main issues is the ijaws destroying an economy already in terrible state by compromising the crude oil productions which is looking likely.

Nigeria is broke, most of the crude production are tied to debt servicing for years to come, and only a marginal part used in funding the country, now imagine disruption in that flow?
More years to repay the loan, foreign investors that are already skeptical of the economy will have more reasons to avoid the country altogether, federal government unable to secure more loans to fund the budget, few expatriates left in the oil and gas sector will pack that bags and run away.
If now managed properly, this rivers crisis go tear the country apart.

tundegan:
This is a good strategy.

Eme is a Tinubu man and he will be doing the job of his life.

Irredeemable zombie

The house of rep should be ashamed of themselves.

How will they not make quorum for something that is constitutional? Tinubu should just go ahead and ignore them and let the courts decide if they want to play politics with the constitution.

Tinbu should be impeached.. he is a terrible ruler n has committed gross misconduct n aberration of the democratic constitution.

They should keep doing that til next 6 months, FUBARA will still wait for that 6 months.