From the full televised proceedings and inquiries I made, it was clear that more than three members of the House of Representatives opposed the president’s proclamation of emergency rule in Rivers state.
The Speaker, after dodging points of order calls during the debate, openly stated after voting that a total of 243 legislators were present.
This means that fewer than 240 members voted in favour of the proclamation, which, by simple logic, should have prevented the bill from passing.
Constitutionally, at least 240 Representatives must vote in favour of the proclamation before it could pass.
But none of those constitutional procedures mattered. The President was in a closed-door meeting with the Speaker and Senate President days before.
In fact, Ibas, the sole administrator, had already taken the oath of office and assumed duty even before the National Assembly took the constitutional decision to allow or reject the proclamation. Flagrantly reducing the legislators’ exercise to futile, preemptive exercise.
Like many Nigerians, I had the premonition that the National Assembly, being the rubber stamp that it is, would almost surely ratify the president’s proclamation of emergency rule. But given the threat which the proclamation poses to Nigeria’s democracy and especially state governors’ political autonomy who have considerable control of the Reps, I just did not expect the National Assembly, divided across party lines, to have seamlessly ratified the proclamation with such an embarrassing voice vote.
On the whole, what played out today in the two chambers of the National Assembly will be remembered as one of the lowest ebbs to which this country has descended. A shattering and heartbreaking democratic experience.
But if anything, it reminds us of the reasons why the executive arm is always adamantly concerned about who gets what in the National Assembly.
It reminds us of the very reason why well-meaning Nigerians must unite against these evil forces to retake mantles of leadership.
Abba Hikima, Esq.
