State of Emergency in Rivers: Lawmakers clash in House of Reps

Two members of the House of Representatives, Marie Ebikake and Blessing Amadi, on Wednesday engaged in a heated argument over the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday.

Ebikake and Amadi, who represent Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency of Bayelsa and Port Harcourt Two Federal Constituency of Rivers State respectively, started the argument few minutes before commencement of the plenary.

The two female lawmakers, alongside other members, were discussing the Rivers crisis when they suddenly started shouting and pointing fingers at each other.

Vanguard reported on Tuesday that Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, citing the prolonged political crisis and governance paralysis.

The President also suspended the Governor, Sim Fubara, his deputy and the members of the State House of Assembly for six months.

Tinubu said during a nationwide broadcast: “I feel greatly disturbed by the political crisis in Rivers. The state has been at a standstill, and the people have been deprived of good governance.

“Fourteen months after Governor Fubara demolished the House of Assembly, it remains unbuilt. Many Nigerians have intervened, just as I did. But their efforts have been to no avail.

“No responsible President will stand by without taking action. To restore good governance and peace in this circumstance, it has become imperative to declare a state of emergency.

“By this declaration, Governor Fubara is hereby suspended.

“In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State.”

The declaration came just hours after another explosion was reported at an oil facility in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.

Earlier, on the same day, the Trans-Niger Pipeline, operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), went up in flames, further escalating tensions in the state.