Dickson Vows to Rally Senators Against Rivers Emergency Rule

Former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, describing it as a “power grab.”

According to PUNCH, Dickson stated this during an interview with selected journalists in Abuja.

Dickson, a senator representing Bayelsa West, pledged to mobilize his colleagues to prevent the President from gaining the necessary support to validate his action.

He said, “It is unconstitutional. Most people see this as a power grab. Is there a constitutional provision mandating the president to declare a state of emergency? Yes, but you’ve got to scrutinise it and see whether it comes under that general provision. Even when you come to that conclusion, does that justify the removal of elected officials? No!”

Dickson argued that the President’s action was unjustified, citing the need for a minimum of 73 senators and 240 members of the House of Representatives to be present within two days.

“You can’t talk about anything emergency unless you have a minimum of 73 senators sitting and 240 members of the House of Representatives present. And you must do that in two days. Otherwise, everything goes back to square one. So you see, I don’t know the kind of advice the President has.

“I’m not in a position to speculate about the numbers. The leadership knows best, but mine is to be available and network with my colleagues. Those of us who don’t believe in it are quite large in number. I am talking about senior ranking members who, in the protection of democratic rights created by the constitution, will say no to it.”

The former governor urged Tinubu to adopt a more diplomatic approach, similar to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s handling of the emergency rule in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States.

“Jonathan understood what it means to pull back and be the president for all,” Dickson said. “The state of emergency is intended to reinforce the existing government structure, not to subvert or replace it.”