By Charles Maduka
Senator Henry Seriake Dickson has openly criticised the recent state of emergency imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu, describing it as unconstitutional and a threat to democracy.
Speaking via his official Twitter handle on Thursday, Dickson disclosed that he opposed the emergency declaration during a closed-door Senate session on March 20.
He argued that suspending the state governor, deputy governor, and lawmakers without due process violated the Nigerian Constitution.
The Bayelsa West senator maintained that such an action undermined democratic governance, insisting that he voted against it.
President Tinubu had on March 18 declared the emergency rule in Rivers State, citing pipeline vandalism and political instability as justification.
According to him, the state government had failed to prevent militants from destroying oil facilities, leading to significant disruptions in Nigeria’s crude oil production.
Consequently, the President suspended all elected officials, a move that sparked outrage among some lawmakers, including Senator Dickson and his Sokoto South counterpart, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
The dissenting senators contended that removing duly elected officials without adhering to constitutional provisions amounted to a breach of democratic principles.
Expressing his displeasure, Dickson lamented that the Senate deliberated on such a critical national issue behind closed doors, thereby denying Nigerians the opportunity to hear their representatives’ positions.
Frustrated by the proceedings, Dickson, Tambuwal, and a few other senators staged a walkout in protest.
In a series of tweets, Dickson accused the Senate President of attempting to silence his dissenting views.
He alleged that his remarks during the closed session were deliberately misrepresented to suit a pre-arranged narrative.
“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 on Wednesday, which was the same thing I said on the floor yesterday,” he tweeted.
He further revealed his intention to meet with the Senate President to register his displeasure and ensure that such incidents do not recur.
Thanking Nigerians who supported his stance, Dickson urged them to remain vigilant in defending democratic values.
He hinted that legal action might be taken against the President’s decision, stressing that Nigeria’s democracy must not be compromised.
“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,” he added.
As the controversy rages, Nigerians are keenly watching whether the emergency rule will face a legal challenge.
While some citizens view the President’s move as a necessary step to restore order, others fear it sets a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democratic system.
The coming days will reveal the next course of action.
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