By Haruna Salami
The Senate at plenary on Wednesday passed Rivers State 2025 Appropriation bill of N1.48 trillion.
This followed the presentation and consideration of the report of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Oversight of Emergency Rule in Rivers.
Presenting the committee report, the chairman and Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele said that for the record, emergency rule is not a substitute for democratic governance in any political climate.
“Rather, it is an extraordinary constitutional measure intended to restore order in times of disorder, promote peace in periods of conflict and ensure stability where there is instability”
He said that the invocation of emergency rule in Rivers was not an arbitrary action, as some had alleged, but one rooted firmly in the provision of section 305 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“As you are all aware, these provisions legitimately empower both the President and the National Assembly to act in the interest of national stability and constitutional governance.
“Neither the President nor the National Assembly has violated any constitutional provision in the maintenance of national security.
“With respect to the former or specifically in the exercise of our oversight powers guided by the 1999 Constitution to prevent executive absolutism.
“It is upon this premise that the Senate, under the leadership of Sen. Godswill Akpabio deemed it necessary to constitute this ad hoc committee.”
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