Former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Seriake Dickson, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it unconstitutional and a political power grab.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, the senator representing Bayelsa West vowed to mobilize fellow lawmakers to block the National Assembly’s approval of the emergency rule.

“Unconstitutional and Unjustified”

Dickson argued that while the Constitution allows for emergency declarations, the situation in Rivers does not justify the removal of elected officials.

“Is there a constitutional provision mandating the President to declare a state of emergency? Yes. But does that justify removing elected officials? No!” he asserted.

He further emphasized that any emergency rule declaration must meet strict legislative approval requirements.

“You can’t talk about anything emergency unless you have a minimum of 73 senators and 240 members of the House of Representatives present. And this must be done within two days; otherwise, everything goes back to square one.”

“Many Lawmakers Will Reject It”

The senator expressed confidence that a significant number of lawmakers would oppose the emergency rule.

“The leadership knows best, but I can assure you that many of us, especially senior ranking members who believe in protecting democracy, will reject it.”

His remarks come amid delays in the Senate’s debate on the emergency rule, with discussions postponed until Thursday.

Cites Jonathan’s Precedent

Dickson also urged President Tinubu to adopt the leadership style of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who declared emergency rule in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States during the Boko Haram crisis without removing elected officials.

“I was part of those discussions in 2013. Some people wanted Jonathan to sack the governors and take over the states. But he understood leadership. The Attorney General at the time made it clear that emergency rule should reinforce existing structures, not replace them.”

He insisted that Nigeria’s democracy must be protected from executive overreach, calling on the Senate and the House of Representatives to reject the emergency rule in Rivers State.

With growing opposition from lawmakers, governors, and civil society groups, the controversy surrounding the emergency rule in Rivers continues to escalate.