Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has strongly opposed the National Assembly’s use of a voice vote to approve the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State.
On Thursday, both chambers of the National Assembly ratified President Bola Tinubu’s request for emergency rule in Rivers through a voice vote.
The decision followed the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all members of the state assembly over a prolonged political crisis.
In a statement on Friday, Kingibe criticized the process, arguing that the required two-thirds majority “cannot be accurately determined by a mere voice vote.”
“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,” she said.
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“I strongly oppose the use of voice voting for such critical, vital, and constitutional issues. The Nigerian Constitution explicitly mandates that a state of emergency proclaimed by the President must be ratified by a two-thirds majority of all the members of each house of the National Assembly.”
She further stressed that the Senate standing orders and House rules require a roll call or electronic voting to accurately verify compliance with constitutional requirements.
“The National Assembly, as custodians of the Nigerian Constitution, must uphold its duty of guiding the President’s decisions and ensuring the rule of law prevails,” she added.
Kingibe urged Nigerians to hold their representatives accountable, emphasizing that without a proper recorded vote, the people’s voices were not truly heard in the decision-making process.