A member of the House of Representatives from the All Progressives Congress, Ademorin Kuye, says the National Assembly will support the state of emergency declared in Rivers by President Bola Tinubu in defence of democracy.

Kuye, who is the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Public Assets, stated this while addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said that the primary responsibility of every government was the protection of lives and property of citizens.

According to him, the legislature is always the first victim if anything happens to democracy, hence the need for the national assembly to always defend democracy at all costs.

He said that the lawmakers would support the president’s state of emergency proclamation, notwithstanding their respective political party affiliations.

The lawmaker recalled that the Ninth National Assembly intervened in the crisis that rocked the Edo House of Assembly and amicably resolved the matter in defence of democracy.

“Without sentiment, we are going to defend democracy. In a situation where there is a breakdown of law and order, no responsible government will keep quiet and allow the anarchy to continue,” he said.

Kuye, who represents Somolu Federal Constituency of Lagos, also recalled that Tinubu had intervened in the lingering political crisis in the state, adding, however, that the warring parties preferred to take the matter to court.

He said that in spite of the Supreme Court judgment, the crisis had still persisted, leading to the destruction of oil pipelines and other government facilities that cost a lot to put in place.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Tinubu had, in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, declared a state of emergency in Rivers, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Gov. Ngozi Odu and all members of the House of Assembly for six months.

Relying on section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the president appointed Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas to take charge of the affairs of the state.

Tinubu, in the nationwide broadcast, said that the latest security reports showed disturbing incidents of vandalism of pipelines by some militants without the governor taking any action to curtail them.

He said a stern order had been given to security agencies to ensure the safety of the lives of the people of Rivers and the oil pipelines.

NAN reports that emergency rule required a two-thirds majority of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

However, both chambers have yet to vote on the matter.

NAN

The newly sworn-in Sole Administrator for Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd.), has vowed to maintain law and order in the state.

He said: “We know the circumstances that led to why we are here and Mr President made it clear in his broadcast,” Ibas told reporters after he was sworn in by President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday.

“If the main issue is that of maintaining law and order in the state, I think for any meaningful activities to take place in Rivers State, that is the utmost task that I have.”

The retired naval chief promised “to work together with other stakeholders to ensure that we bring peace, and order and security and stability to the people and government of Rivers State and Nigeria at large”.

Recall Tinubu, in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, imposed a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy Ngozi Odu; as well as the Rivers State House of Assembly members for six months.

Tinubu hinged his decision on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saying he can’t continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking any action.

The president immediately appointed Ibas, Nigeria’s Chief of Naval State from 2015 to 2021, as the sole administrator of the oil-rich state.

The suspension of Fubara and other democratically elected representatives has been expressly rejected and condemned by many eminent Nigerians, legal luminaries, and groups including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Femi Falana, the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Nigerian Bar Association, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), among others.

However, the emergency rule has been praised by the pro-Nyesom Wike suspended lawmakers, who accused Fubara of contravening the apex court ruling on the political situation in the state.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arraigned a former Deputy Director of Highways at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Augustine Olowoniyan, alongside a surveyor in the same ministry, Sulaiman Muhammed, for alleged N1.9bn fraud.

The defendants werw arraigned before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Apo, Abuja.

The defendants were arraigned on three counts related to the alleged diversion and misappropriation of public funds totaling N1,936,961,649.00.

According to the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the funds were intended for the acquisition of titles for federal roads nationwide between March 4, 2019, and July 17, 2020, but were allegedly diverted for personal use.

Upon reading the charges, both defendants pleaded not guilty.

The prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed (SAN), requested a trial date and asked the court to remand the defendants in the correctional centre.

One of the charges reads: “That you, Augustine Ojo Olowoniyan, whilst serving as Deputy Director Highways, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, and Project Coordinator for the acquisition of titles for Federal Roads, and Suleiman Abdulkadir Muhammed, whilst serving as Surveyor of the Department of Highways and Planning, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, between March 4, 2019, and October 21, 2019, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, used your office to confer corrupt advantage upon yourselves by putting to your own use the sum of N807,053,000.00 despite being funds budgeted for the acquisition of titles for Federal Roads Nationwide, thereby committing an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

However, the defence counsel for the first and second defendants, J.K. Kolawole and A.S.U. Garba, requested a short adjournment to file bail applications and requested that the defendants be remanded in EFCC custody.

Justice Onwuegbuzie adjourned the case until April 3, 2025, to hear the bail applications and remanded the defendants at Kuje correctional centre.