Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has criticised the National Assembly for approving President Bola Tinubu’s state of emergency in Rivers State through a voice vote, calling the process a dangerous assault on democracy.
In a statement posted on X on Thursday, March 20, Obi expressed concern over the “ongoing deterioration of democracy” and said he had been urging lawmakers not to support “unconstitutionality and arbitrariness.”
“I just heard that they have added salt to injury by using a voice vote to pass the illegality,” he said.
Obi argued that the Nigerian Constitution mandates a recorded vote, not a voice vote, to determine if the required two-thirds majority is met.
“You cannot determine a two-thirds majority by a voice vote,” he stated.
He warned that bypassing proper legislative procedures undermines transparency, accountability, and public trust in the democratic process.
“The use of a voice vote in such a significant decision not only disregards constitutional requirements but also erodes public trust in the democratic process as well as the transparency and integrity of the National Assembly,” he said.
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According to Obi, approving an emergency proclamation that suspends an elected governor and legislature should not be handled with “casual disregard for constitutional standards.”
“The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) clearly requires that such a proclamation must be approved by at least two-thirds of all members of each House — the Senate and the House of Representatives,” he noted.
He warned that allowing a voice vote in such a critical matter could set a troubling precedent.
“Today, it’s a voice vote on a state of emergency — tomorrow, it could be a voice vote on citizens’ fundamental rights,” Obi said.
He called on lawmakers to uphold the Constitution and resist any actions that threaten Nigeria’s democracy.
“This is not just a flawed procedure; it is a warning signal. We cannot afford to keep gambling with the soul of our democracy,” he cautioned.