Senator Henry Dickson, former governor of Bayelsa State, has strongly rejected the recent state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State, calling it unconstitutional. In a candid statement shared on his X page, Dickson expressed his concerns over the legality of the emergency rule, claiming it did not meet the necessary constitutional requirements.
Speaking from a closed session of the Senate, Dickson reiterated his objections, asserting that the declaration was flawed from a legal standpoint. “As I have repeatedly stated, I raised my objections during the closed session, emphasizing how the declaration fell short of constitutional prescriptions,” Dickson remarked, highlighting his commitment to upholding the Nigerian Constitution as a democrat.
Although the debate on the matter was not held in an open plenary session, Dickson praised his colleagues, particularly Senator Aminu Tambuwal, for standing with him in challenging the legality of the emergency rule, especially the suspension of elected officials in Rivers State. “I want to thank Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal for his strong support of the unconstitutionality of the declaration,” Dickson said.
Despite the majority of senators supporting the proclamation, Dickson remained firm in his opposition, noting that he had left the plenary before the Senate President reported the outcome, refusing to be present while his objections were being dismissed. “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,” he emphasized.
The former governor also pointed out the efforts to amend the terms of the emergency rule but maintained that the core issue—the declaration’s constitutionality—remained unresolved. “Though I acknowledge the leadership’s efforts to moderate the terms of the declaration, this does not counter the primary issue of constitutionality,” Dickson asserted.
Adding fuel to the fire, Dickson criticized Senate President Godswill Akpabio for attempting to silence him and misrepresent his statements. Referring to a viral video that captured a tense exchange between them before the session was moved behind closed doors, Dickson accused Akpabio of unfairly censoring his freedom of expression. “The Senate President was very unfair to me by trying to censor my freedom of expression and misrepresenting what I said,” he stated.
The senator also made it clear that all senators should be free to voice their opinions on national issues without the Senate President’s permission. He vowed to address the matter formally with Akpabio to prevent future incidents of misrepresentation.
Dickson concluded by reaffirming his commitment to defending democratic principles and urged Nigerians to rally behind the cause of participatory democracy. “For someone like me who has been in the trenches for years, these challenges are a call to duty,” he said, urging the people of goodwill to unite for a stronger democracy.
