The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Ireti Kingibe of the Labour Party, said she rejected the National Assembly’s use of a voice vote to approve the recent emergency rule in Rivers State, declaring it unconstitutional and unacceptable.
Kingibe argued that such a critical national decision requires a recorded vote, not the subjective “Aye” or “Nay” method, insisting that Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (Section 305) mandates a two-thirds majority for ratification.
The Senate on Thursday, while debating the State of Emergency declaration for ratification, opted for an executive session, which robbed Nigerians of the opportunity to watch a live debate on the issue.
Without a proper roll call or electronic voting, she asserted that there is no verifiable proof that the required supermajority was met.
“A voice vote cannot determine a two-thirds majority. Without a recorded vote, the people have not spoken!” she declared.
The Senator criticised what she called a dangerous precedent, warning that bypassing due process weakens democratic structures.
She reminded her colleagues that their primary role is to scrutinise and guide the President’s decisions, not rubber-stamp them.
Kingibe called on citizens to demand accountability, emphasizing that lawmakers must be transparent in representing their constituents’ interests.
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