…wants eminent persons to resolve Wike, Fubara dispute
…Akpabio, Dickson in shouting match
The Senate has given its total backing to the emergency rule declared in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.
On Thursday, senators unanimously invoked Section 305 (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to pass the emergency rule at a session presided over by the President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio.
The Senate acted on the proclamation after meeting for over two hours behind closed doors.
Announcing the decisions taken at the closed session, Akpabio said the Senate approved the emergency rule, reviewable for a period not later than six months.
A Joint Committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives was set up to oversee the administration of Rivers State for the period of the emergency rule.
The Senate also recommended setting up a body of “eminent Nigerians” to intervene in the political crisis in Rivers State with a view to settling the warring factions within the period of the emergency rule.
Akpabio, after announcing the decisions, asked senators to confirm whether they represented the views of the Senate, and he received a thunderous “ayes” response.
ALSO READ: BREAKING: Reps okay Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration in Rivers
The Senate President went ahead to put the resolution to vote and all senators endorsed it without a dissenting voice.
However, before senators went to the closed-door session, a mild drama ensued between Akpabio and the former governor of Bayelsa State, Sen. Seriake Dickson.
Dickson, who represents Bayelsa-West Senatorial District, interjected by shouting, “Point of order,” as soon as Akpabio read the proclamation letter from President Tinubu to senators.
Akpabio made to ignore him, but Dickson shouted again, “Point of order, Mr President!”
Akpabio then told Dickson how he watched him on television boasting that whatever decision the Senate took he would not support it.
“Let us not argue. We are all Distinguished senators. If we argue it won’t be good for any of us.
“You are a former governor, I am a former governor. Let us be mindful of what we do. I watched you on television, and you said whatever the Senate does, the Senate will never go with you. The Senate will not go with you.
“If you have already made up your mind to go and talk on television when the Senate has not even considered anything, then. So, allow me to preside.”
But, Dickson protested, saying that Akpabio was not being fair to him by not allowing him to speak.
“Please, we must always have mutual respect for all our colleagues. And I know I do have regard for you, especially as our presiding officer,” he stated.
Dickson went on to sight orders 133 and 135 of the Senate Standing Order to observe that the Senate was progressing in error.
He quoted the orders saying that the Senate, upon receiving the proclamation document, “shall” go into an executive session to discuss the circumstances of the proclamation.
Akpabio upheld the orders Dickson cited, but still reminded him that he jumped the gun by interjecting, as the Senate Leader, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, was already on his feet moving a motion for the closed-door session when Dickson began to raise his point of order.
The matter was eventually resolved, and the Senate proceeded to go into the camera session.
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