Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District in the 10th Senate and immediate past governor of Bayelsa State has criticized the imposition of a state of emergency on Rivers state by the President Bola Tinubu administration.
While featuring on an Arise Television program at 8 pm earlier today, Senator Dickson said it is unconstitutional, and it falls short of the constitutional threshold for the President to impose a state of emergency in Rivers State. He said in any case, the constitution does not support the removal of elected officials, in this case, Governor Fubara, his Deputy, and members of the State House of Assembly.
Senator Dickson made this known on his Facebook page where he said that emergency rule has never solved any political problem. He also repeated his call for all his people not to see it as an ethnic war against the Ikwerre people, who he said are their brothers and neighbours with whom they don’t have any problems. He said the issue in Rivers State is simply a political crisis within a political family; a dispute between a godfather and his godson.
“Today, I was at Arise Television as a guest to speak on the issues in Rivers State, and specifically on the state of emergency declared by the President.
“I made the case that, in my view, it is unconstitutional, and it falls short of the constitutional threshold. And in any case, the constitution does not support the removal of elected officials, in this case, Governor Fubara, his Deputy, and members of the State House of Assembly. They have a constitutionally guaranteed tenure, which is sacred subject to the conditions laid down by the constitution. An emergency rule is not a way of ending their tenure. I also said that emergency rule has never solved any political problem. I repeated my call for all our people not to see it as an ethnic war against the Ikwerre people, our brothers and neighbours with whom we don’t have any problems. It is simply a political crisis within a political family; a dispute between a godfather and his godson.
“I have since maintained that consultations be deepened and both parties be prevailed upon. The President has a role to play; after all, the Minister of FCT is his appointee, and everyone else has to be part of it. All leaders of goodwill have to join hands to create a condition that will bring about a political solution.
”It is my view, with the knowledge of the area, that a state of emergency, as imposed, will heighten insecurity and create more political problems than it will solve, and I hope to vote against it.
”I want to thank my colleagues who are of a similar view. Let us pray for peace and stability to prevail in Rivers State.
HSD.
