Hon. Bashiru Dawodu, the lawmaker representing Oshodi-Isolo 1 Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, has confirmed that he voted in favor of the state of emergency declared in Rivers State and the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Speaking during an interview with Arise TV News, Dawodu defended the decision, emphasizing that it was a necessary step to restore order in the crisis-ridden state.
According to Dawodu, the President’s decision to invoke Section 305 of the Constitution was based on a thorough assessment of the security situation in Rivers State.
He highlighted reports of unrest, threats to national assets, and a Supreme Court judgment that suggested an absence of governance in the state as key factors that influenced the National Assembly’s approval.
He argued that the President acted within his constitutional powers and that the National Assembly followed due process in deliberating and voting on the matter.
Dawodu also addressed concerns regarding the voting process in the House of Representatives, where a voice vote was conducted instead of electronic voting.
He stated that the Speaker of the House had confirmed that a quorum was met before the vote was taken. He dismissed allegations that the process was manipulated, insisting that the decision was widely supported by lawmakers.
He further defended the appointment of a sole administrator to oversee Rivers State during the emergency period, arguing that it was necessary given the involvement of the governor in the political crisis.
In his words: “I voted yes, and I did so proudly. I think you cannot devoid the actions of the President from those of the National Assembly on what is going to happen next. The President addressed the nation and told Nigerians about the situation in Rivers State, that he had been watching the situation for this long, even with interventions from well-meaning Nigerians, including himself, but the crisis did not abate. Fast forward, the Supreme Court came up with a judgment that there was no government in Rivers State.”