Following President Bola Tinubu’s proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State, Hon. Bashiru Dawodu, a member of the National Assembly representing Oshodi-Isolo 1 Federal Constituency, has denied that the legislature merely endorsed the proclamation without question.
Speaking in an interview on Arise News’ This Morning Show on Monday, Dawodu dismissed claims that the National Assembly acted as a mere “rubber stamp” for the executive.
He emphasized that the final version of the emergency proclamation underwent significant amendments before approval.
“Now to the National Assembly, the National Assembly deliberated, considered, and voted and by virtue of that approving the proclamation. But the missing piece is that it’s not the way the proclamation went into the House that it came out. Talking about rubber stamp,” Dawodu explained.
He outlined three key amendments made to the proclamation before it was approved. First, provisions were included for eminent personalities to intervene in the crisis. Second, the National Assembly assumed oversight functions over the Rivers State House of Assembly. Third, the six-month duration of the emergency rule was made flexible, allowing the president to revoke it if the situation improves sooner than expected.
“The House actually had three amendments. The first was that it provided a situation for eminent personalities to intervene. Two, that the National Assembly would take over the oversight functions of the State Assembly. Three, that the six months is not written in stone, that it provides an opportunity, for example, if the situation changes tomorrow, the president is within his power to actually revoke that,” he stated.
Parliamentary Procedure Defended
Addressing concerns about the voting method used to approve the emergency rule, Dawodu explained that voice votes are standard parliamentary procedure. He dismissed allegations of irregularities in the vote count, pointing out that no lawmaker openly opposed the motion during deliberations.
“The issue of two-thirds may not be really germane if not one single person actually said nay,” he noted. “In a democracy, the folks that voted wanted the government to function.”
The declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State has sparked intense debate, with critics arguing that it sets a dangerous precedent and undermines democratic institutions. Some opposition figures have described it as an overreach by the executive, warning that it could be misused in future political disputes.
Justification for Emergency Rule
Despite the controversy, Dawodu defended the move, stating that it was necessary to restore stability in Rivers State, which had been plagued by political crises and governance paralysis.
“The governor was distracted, almost entirely distracted,” he stated. “Rather than looking at this situation with microscopic eyes, we need to look at the global picture. Is the situation better now for the folks in Rivers? I say yes.”
Dawodu insisted that President Tinubu acted within his constitutional rights and in the best interest of the state’s residents. He urged Nigerians to focus on the effectiveness of the emergency measures rather than the political rhetoric surrounding them.
