The Senate on Wednesday suspended its plenary and postponed debate on the State of Emergency imposed on Rivers State to Thursday 20 March.
The postponement was announced after the Senate leadership delayed the commencement of its plenary for about two hours when the majority of the serving senators across party lines had not fully taken their seats.
The debate was delayed till 3:00 pm when the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central), who sponsored the motion moved to step it down by citing Order 1(b) of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended).
The motion was seconded by Minority Leader, Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), and the chamber moved on to the next item without further debate.
The motion, as proposed by Bamidele, expresses apprehension over the deteriorating security situation in Rivers State.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, thereafter, put the postponement of the debate and suspension of the plenary to voice vote, which were affirmatively responded to by many of the Senators.
President Tinubu, on Tuesday night, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
In a national broadcast, Tinubu cited prolonged political instability, constitutional breaches, and security threats as reasons for his decision.
