How 74 lawmakers voted for emergency rule in Rivers — Senate
The Senate has disclosed that 74 lawmakers out of the 109 members of the red chamber voted for the state of emergency rule in River State.
The Senate Spokesman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, disclosed this to newsmen over the weekend at his country home in Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
He noted that 74 members voted for the emergency rule out of the 106 members who attended the meeting.
In his words, “When the question was put to those in support of the emergency rule in Rivers State, all of them said Yes, and nobody said “ nay” after they had discussed the matter.
“It is very unfortunate that everybody in Nigeria wants to interpret the rules and the constitution of Nigeria the way they like.
“Over 200million Nigerians, and over 200 million Nigerians interprete the constitution of Nigeria, as a lawmaker, a lawyer and a Judge.”
Adaramodu condemned Nigerians’ interpretation of the rules and standing orders of the national assembly, who alleged that they were designed to favour their line of action and position.
“The rules say it must be through the closed session when issues of security matters are discussed, that you cannot be debating it in the open globally.” We did not bend the rules; we did what we needed to do!
“Personal feelings are not Law or status. We debated it, and we all agreed at the closed-door session that we were all supporting the emergency rule in River State.
“After the debate, we increased the list of three more clues that are outside what the Presidency brought to the national assembly. It may not last six months if there are feelings that the atmosphere is conducive.
“The administrator will not only be reporting to the Presidency, but the national assembly shall continue to continuously adjudicate and do oversight functions over the administration in River State.
“That eminent Nigerians be set up in the form of a committee to bring all the warring factions together and adjudicate and try to meditate among them and bring peace and make a report to the Presidency and the National Assembly.
“In River State, the problem was caused by the Governor and the House of Assembly members, which means there was no governance in the state, where the majority of the 32 lawmakers could not make laws for the state but only three loyal to the Governor.
Senator Adaramodu, however, debunked the insinuations that the national assembly are rubber-stamped lawmakers.
“We are not in the Senate with gloves in our hands to go and be knocking and be fighting the executives or other arms of government.
“That is not our calling. Our calling is that we are partners in progress and while we are partners in progress, we make laws, to executes is in the hands of the executives, to interprete is in the hands of the Judiciary. We will not be making laws and at the same time execute it.”
The Senate spokesman added that the national assembly is focused because it has done appropriations, focused on laws for the creation of higher institutions in the country and the Joint tax bill, among other things.
