Senator Henry Dickson has opposed President Bola Tinubu’s proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing it as unconstitutional.
According to a statement he released via his X page on Friday, the former Bayelsa State governor voiced his objections during a closed session of the Senate, where he argued that the declaration fell short of constitutional requirements.
“As I have stated repeatedly, I raised my objections in the closed session on how the declaration fell short of constitutional prescription, based on my views as a democrat sworn to uphold the Nigerian Constitution,” Dickson stated.
The debate on the issue did not take place in an open plenary session, but Dickson acknowledged the contributions of senators who shared his concerns.
He particularly commended Senator Aminu Tambuwal for challenging the legality of suspending elected officials in Rivers State.
“I want to thank Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal for his strong support of the unconstitutionality of the declaration, especially the aspect that deals with the suspension of the elected officials of the Rivers State government,” he said.
According to Dickson, a majority of senators supported the emergency proclamation, and no opportunity was given for a formal debate at plenary.
“I left the plenary before the Senate President was directed to report the outcome because I didn’t want to be present while what I opposed was being reported,” he revealed, adding that Tambuwal, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, and other lawmakers who shared his stance also left.
Despite the Senate’s position, Dickson insisted that he stood by his opposition.
“I spoke and voted against the proclamation in our closed session, supported by Senator Aminu Tambuwal and a few other senators who were not recognised to speak,” he emphasised.
The senator acknowledged ongoing efforts to modify the declaration but maintained that the fundamental issue of constitutionality remains unresolved.
“Though I acknowledge the effort being made by the leadership and President to moderate the terms of the declaration and to create a mechanism for oversight, theoretically, this does not counter the primary issue of constitutionality,” he wrote.
Dickson also criticised the Senate President, accusing him of attempting to silence him and misrepresent his statements.
He referenced a viral video showing their exchange before the session was moved behind closed doors.
“As I said on the floor, the Senate President was very unfair to me by trying to censor my freedom of expression and by deliberately misrepresenting the import of what I said in the broadcast on Wednesday, which was the same thing I said on the floor yesterday,” Dickson stated.
He expressed gratitude to those who commended his composure during what he described as an “unexpected attempt at intimidation,” asserting that “the Senate is a meeting of equals, and everyone should be respected just as we accord respect to the Chair.”
Dickson further argued that senators do not need the permission of the Senate President to express their views on national issues. He said that he plans to formally discuss his concerns with the Senate President to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
He assured his constituents and Nigerians at large that he remains committed to defending democratic principles.
“For someone like me who has been in the trenches over the years, all these challenges are actually a call to duty, and I, therefore, implore all people of goodwill to come together and ensure that participatory democracy is promoted in our country,” he concluded.
