Dickson, Abaribe, Kingibe disapprove too

Senator Tambuwal is not the only lawmaker to question the credibility of the ratification process. Daily Trust reports that Senator Seriake Dickson, a two-term former governor of Bayelsa State, also raised concerns about the lack of open debate during the plenary session. Dickson, who walked out of the Senate chamber before the approval of the […]

Senator Tambuwal is not the only lawmaker to question the credibility of the ratification process.

Daily Trust reports that Senator Seriake Dickson, a two-term former governor of Bayelsa State, also raised concerns about the lack of open debate during the plenary session.

Dickson, who walked out of the Senate chamber before the approval of the proclamation, revealed that senators who opposed the move were prevented from openly debating the issue. He cited Senators Tambuwal, Enyinnaya Abaribe, and others as being among those shut out due to their dissenting positions.

In a statement, Dickson said: “The Senate did not undertake the debate in an open session; however, it was quite robust. I want to thank Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal for his strong support of the unconstitutionality of the declaration, especially the aspect that deals with the suspension of the elected officials of the Rivers State government.

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“At the end of the day, the majority of the senators supported the proclamation as no room was given for an open debate at plenary. I left the plenary before the Senate President was directed to report the outcome because I didn’t want to be present while what I opposed was being reported. I believe Senator Tambuwal, Senator Abaribe, and others equally left too.”

Similarly, Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory, condemned the use of a voice vote to approve the emergency rule. In a statement on Friday, Kingibe argued that a voice vote cannot accurately determine the required two-thirds majority.

She wrote: “As the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) elected on the platform of the Labour Party, I, Ireti Kingibe, maintain a clear, firm, and unequivocal stance on the recent declaration of emergency rule and the associated voting procedures conducted in the National Assembly.

“A two-thirds majority is required for significant decisions like approving an emergency proclamation in the National Assembly, and this level of consensus cannot be accurately determined by a voice vote. According to Section 305(2) and (6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), an emergency proclamation must receive the approval of at least two-thirds of all members of each House—the Senate and the House of Representatives. A voice vote, where members agree by saying ‘Aye’ or ‘Nay,’ cannot precisely measure the required two-thirds majority.

“When a supermajority like two-thirds is needed, a recorded vote—whether through division voting, roll call, or electronic voting—is necessary to ensure compliance with constitutional requirements. The Senate Standing Orders and House Rules generally mandate a roll call or electronic voting system to accurately determine numerical compliance for decisions of this magnitude.”