Senate Postpones Debate on Rivers State Emergency Declaration to March 20

 

The Nigerian Senate has postponed its debate on the State of Emergency declared in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, shifting the discussion to Thursday, March 20.

The postponement came after the plenary session was delayed for over two hours, as many senators from both ruling and opposition parties had yet to take their seats.

The discussion was originally scheduled for Tuesday, March 18, but was pushed to 3 PM before being indefinitely postponed. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), who sponsored the motion, moved to step it down, citing Order 1(b) of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended). His motion was seconded by Minority Leader Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), and the chamber swiftly moved on to other legislative matters.

Bamidele’s motion highlights growing concerns over security in Rivers State, including: Threats from militant groups warning of violence. Vandalism of oil pipelines as indicated by security reports. The need for extraordinary measures to restore peace, order, and governance in the state.

For the State of Emergency to be approved, the Senate must secure a two-thirds majority (73 out of 109 senators). However, there are doubts about whether this threshold will be met on Thursday when the debate is expected to resume.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, eventually put the motion to postpone the debate and suspend the plenary to a voice vote, which was overwhelmingly approved by senators present.