A heated argument erupted in the Senate on Thursday between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West) over the handling of President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State.
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The dispute arose after Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele moved a motion to reorder the Order Paper, prioritizing the debate on the emergency declaration before other legislative matters.
As Bamidele made his case, Dickson raised a point of order, seeking to speak. However, Akpabio hesitated, reminding him of his previous public comments against the Senate’s handling of the issue.
Akpabio confronted Dickson, stating, “Senator Seriake Dickson, let’s not argue. If we argue, it won’t be good for any of us. We are all distinguished people. You were a former governor, and I was a former governor. Please turn off your mic and sit down.”
He continued, “I watched you on television. You said whatever the Senate does, the Senate will never have your vote.”
Dickson, however, stood his ground, urging the Senate President to respect his right to speak.
“Mr. Senate President, we must have mutual respect for all our colleagues. I have regard for you as our presiding officer, and I think that should be reciprocal,” Dickson responded.
He insisted that his point of order was to remind the Senate of a procedural requirement to hold a closed-door session before debating the emergency rule.
Following the tense exchange, the Senate proceeded into a closed session to deliberate on Tinubu’s emergency declaration and the suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected state lawmakers.
The closed session was convened after Akpabio read Tinubu’s letter on the matter. The motion for the session was moved by Senate Leader Bamidele and seconded by Minority Leader Abba Moro.
On Tuesday night, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending key elected officials for six months. He cited prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats as justification for the decision.
The political crisis in Rivers has been fueled by a power struggle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas (retd.), a former Chief of Naval Staff, as the sole administrator to manage the state’s affairs until stability is restored.
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