Senate didn’t get 2\3 majority for Tinubu emergency rule in Rivers –Tambuwal

Former governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has said that the Senate did not get the constitutional two-thirds majority of members required in approving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s proclamation of State of Emergency in Rivers State.

Last Thursday, the Senate devolved into a closed session to consider the president’s proclamation and, thereafter, during plenary, approved the proclamation via voice votes of members in the chamber.

A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tambuwal, who represents Sokoto South in the 10th Senate, disclosed to Sunday Sun in Abuja, yesterday, that the required two thirds majority, that is 73 senators of 109 senators, did not approve the president’s  request, in contravention of Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

Tambuwal was in the chamber during the closed session deliberation on the matter before the decision was taken at plenary.

Tambuwal declared: “I will be speaking to you from the point of view of being a lawyer, a member of the Body of Benchers and a life Bencher for that matter and not necessarily as a lawmaker who is a member of the 10th Senate. And, in addition to that, possibly my experience as a former presiding officer, former Speaker of the House of Representatives who presided over a matter such as this in 2013.

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“Section 305 of the Constitution is very clear. It is unambiguous, the language is very plain, of the Constitution as to first, how the president can declare a state of emergency and what is required of the legislature, the two chambers – both the Senate and the House of Representatives before passing such a resolution.

“What is required is that you must obtain and have two-thirds of all the members, of either of the two chambers, in support of the resolution.

“In the case of what happened in the Senate, where I belong, I don’t know whether members of your team, who are members of the press corps, had the privilege of checking the (Senate) register to see whether there were up to 72, 73 senators on the floor. From what I saw, there was no such number on the floor on that day.

“So, if you juxtapose that to the requirement of the Constitution which says that the Senate must have two-thirds of its members, all of its members to pass that resolution, in support of it, not just present and voting. No! Supporting it. It means that what was done fell short of the provision of the Constitution.”

Tambuwal also noted that the National Assembly shunned its own precedents in approving the Rivers proclamation.

“Parliament is supposed to be guided by the Constitution, its rules and its precedents.

“State of emergency was declared under President (Olusegun) Obasanjo…two thirds had to be garnered, in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“State of emergency was declared during the administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2013, in Borno State. Also in Adamawa and Yobe. We had to garner two thirds.

“So, what stops the current National Assembly from making reference to its own precedents that are domiciled within its own library, within its own records? I can’t understand that. So, it’s part of the problem,” he added.

Rivers court bars woman from answering ex-husband’s name

A Customary Court holden at Rumuogba, Rivers State, has barred ex-wife, Mrs Kate Ngbor, from continued answering ex-husband’s name with immediate effect after 11 years of divorce.

The claimant, Chief Sam Ngbor has in Suit No: OCC/9/2021, sought the Honourable Court order to restrain his former wife, Mrs Kate Ngbor from continuing to bear his name.

The court, after the submissions from E. O. Erhirhi, Counsel to the Claimant and R.U. Egwenre, Counsel to the defendant granted the orders.

Gov Fubara’s suspension dents Nigeria’s image, says ex-President Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has stated that suspending elected officials in Rivers State risks tarnishing the country’s reputation.

He made the comment at the Haske Satumari Foundation Colloquium in Abuja on Saturday.

“These actions by key actors in the executive and legislative arms of government paint the country in a negative light,” he said.

Jonathan, speaking about the political turmoil in Rivers State, stated that, while it is not customary for former presidents to comment on political issues in order to avoid inflaming the situation, he insisted that the image of a country and the amount of investment it attracts are heavily influenced by the actions of the country’s executive, legislature, and judiciary.

Jonathan’s comments on the emergency rule came after governors from the Peoples Democratic Party said that President Bola Tinubu’s actions were unlawful and undermined Nigeria’s democratic ideals.

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Newstrends reports that Tinubu imposed a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and state House of Assembly members for six months.

However, Jonathan stated that his speech was essential in response to numerous requests from Nigerians requesting him to speak out about the happenings in Rivers State.

He criticised the situation in which an individual can dictate to the judiciary, stating that it makes it difficult for anyone to believe in the judiciary.

Gov Fubara’s suspension dents Nigeria’s image, says ex-President Jonathan