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.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER NOW
Support MATAZ ARISING’ journalism of integrity and credibility.
Good journalism ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.
We ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.
TEXT AD: To advertise here – Email ad@matazarising.com
LATEST POSTS
-
How President Tinubu is redrawing South-East’s political map
MaTaZ ArIsInGDallas, Texas When the 2023 presidential election results were announced, many analysts and commentators gave a largely unanimous verdict regarding the voting pattern in the South-East. The region had voted almost entirely along the ethnic line. The figures told part of the story: Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party swept the zone with over…
-
Lagos 2027: I never agreed to one term as governor – Hamzat
MaTaZ ArIsInGDallas, Texas Lagos State Deputy Governor and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2027 election, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, has dismissed speculation that he entered into an agreement to serve only one term if elected governor, insisting there was never such an arrangement. Speaking in an interview, Hamzat described the claim as…
-
Tinubu Has Finally Adopted My 2-Decade-Old Power Blueprint, Atiku Claims
MaTaZ ArIsInGDallas, Texas Former Vice President of Nigeria and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has claimed that the President Bola Tinubu administration has only now embraced an electricity policy direction he advocated more than two decades ago, arguing that the government spent nearly three years worsening Nigeria’s power crisis before…
