The northern caucus in the House of Representatives has dismissed the call by opposition leaders in the country on the reversal of the state of emergency in Rivers state, insisting that the declaration must stand.
It also called on the coalition of opposition party leaders to live above partisan lines and be wary of the fact that the laws of the land are unambiguously sacrosanct and can not be contemplated by anyone.
The chairman and leader of the Northern Caucus, Hon. Ado Doguwa, in a statement issued Thursday said the government can not sit down and allow miscreants, hoodlums, and politically motivated thugs to continue to destroy critical national assets at the expense of the national economy.
To this end, the Caucus said it was in total support of the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu in the discharge of his constitutional powers as clearly stated in Section 305 of the Constitution.
He added: “In view of the ongoing discourse on the State of emergency in Rivers state, we are compelled to state clearly that the steps taken by Mr. President and C in C of the federal republic of Nigeria are apt, timely and constitutionally appropriate. We as a legislative institution will not allow Mr. President’s constitutional declaration of emergency to fail.
“Nigeria is indeed greater than any selfish coalition and its conspiracies. The constitutional proclamation of emergency in Rivers state must stand.”
Dogunwa accused the suspended governor, Sim Fubara and some other interests outside the state of having knowledge of destruction of critical infrastructure in the oil and gas sector in the Niger Delta.
He stressed that while the parliament was not insensitive to the constitutional imperatives and implications involved, it would not however ignore or take for granted the derailment of law and order in Rivers state.
He added: “We can not also as a legislative House or as a government sit down and allow miscreants, hoodlums, and politically motivated thugs to continue to destroy critical national assets at the expense of our national economy.
“What is happening today by way of destruction of critical infrastructure in the oil and gas sector is allegedly with the conspiracy of the suspended Governor of the state and some politically motivated players outside Rivers state.
“In the circumstances therefore, I would like to on behalf of the northern regional Caucus of the 10th House of Representatives, state that we are in total support of of the state of emergency declared by Mr. President in the discharge of his constitutional powers as clearly stated in section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria.”