Seriake Dickson: How I opposed emergency rule and staged walkout from senate

Seriake Dickson, senator representing Bayelsa west, says he led a walkout from the upper legislative chamber before the senate approved President Bola Tinubu’s emergency rule in Rivers state.

The senate approved the president’s request through a voice vote on March 20 — shunning the constitutionally stipulated two-thirds required for a subject of that magnitude.

The former governor of Bayelsa state described the action of his colleagues as unconstitutional.

He added that some senators like Aminu Tambuwal and Enyinnaya Abaribe opposed the majority resolution and left the senate chamber in protest as well.

“Today at the sitting of the Senate, the issue of the President’s proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State came up for discussion,” he wrote in a statement.

“And as I have stated repeatedly, I raised my objections in the closed session on how the declaration fell short of constitutional prescription, based on my view as a Democrat, sworn to uphold the Nigerian constitution.

“The Senate did not undertake the debate in an open session however, it was quite robust.

“I want to thank Sen. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal for his strong support of the unconstitutionality of the declaration, especially the aspect that deals with the suspension of the elected officials of the Rivers State government.

“At the end of the day, majority of the senators supported the proclamation as no room was given for an open debate at plenary.

“I left the plenary before the Senate President was directed to report the outcome because I didn’t want to be present while what I opposed is being reported. I believe Senator Tambuwal, Senator Abaribe and others equally left too.

“I want to make it clear that as I stated repeatedly, I spoke and voted against the proclamation in our closed session, supported by Senator Aminu Tambuwal and a few other senators who were not recognised to speak.

“And so I want to thank all the senators who shared the view that I vigorously canvassed.”

Dickson urged the judiciary to wade in and save the people of Rivers from the state of emergency.

“I am however aware of the efforts made to modify the declaration as a result of the concerns and views we have expressed and canvassed the past few days,” he added.

“Though I acknowledge the effort being made by the leadership and President to moderate the terms of the declaration and to create a mechanism for oversight, theoretically this does not counter the primary issue of constitutionality.

“The beauty of democracy is such that the minority will have their say while the majority their way.

“I would have wished for a more robust and open debate so that all views and opinions can be openly canvassed as I requested even at the closed session specifically and thereafter, the majority can have their way but as it is, both chambers have decided and the ball is now in the court of the other arms of government, especially the judiciary, in the event of any challenge.”

‘AKPABIO TRIED TO CENSOR ME’

The former house of representatives member also took exception to the way the senate president addressed him during plenary.

He said Akpabio tried to silence him when he made attempts to raise a point of order for the senate to go into an executive session.

“As I said on the floor, the senate president was very unfair to me by trying to censor my freedom of expression and by deliberately misrepresenting the import of what I said in the broadcast yesterday which was the same thing I said on the floor today,” he said.

“It is my opposition in principle to the declaration of a state of emergency, as well as the suspension of elected officials.

“The Senate as I said is a meeting of equals and everyone should be respected just as we accord respect to the Chair.

“No senator needs the permission of the senate president to express an opinion in an interview on a topical matter of national interest that is in the public domain.

“I intend to meet the Senate President to formally express my displeasure, to prevent a reoccurrence.

“I thank my constituents, Nigerians and all people of goodwill who have called to express solidarity and urge them not to be dismayed at the direction our democracy appears to have taken.

“For someone like me who has been in trenches over the years, all these challenges are actually a call to duty and I therefore implore all people of goodwill to come together and ensure that participatory democracy is promoted in our country.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Rivers State.”

President Tinubu has appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired naval chief, as the sole administrator for Rivers during the emergency rule.

On Thursday, the national assembly ratified the decision of the president through voice votes.