Senate Explains Why Rivers Emergency Rule Approval Was Done at Closed Session

•Panel screens state electoral commission nominees, faults appointment of non-indigene as chair

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator AdeyemiAdaramodu, yesterday, explained that  his colleagues took the decision to approve the emergency rule declared by President Tinubu on Rivers State, behind closed doors, in conformity with with the rules of the upper chamber.

Adaramodu gave the explanation while briefing journalists on the midterm activities of the 10th Senate.

Critics had accused the red chamber of secretly voting in support of the Rivers emergency rule instead of giving such approval at open plenary.

But Adaramodu said, “Our Standing Orders say such matters must be debated in closed-door sessions — Rule 131, 132, and 134. Once a decision is reached in a closed session, it cannot be reopened in plenary.

“Everyone is now a lawmaker, a lawyer, a coach — questioning what they don’t know. But the rules are clear.During the closed session, we debated for three to four hours. Once an agreement is reached, it’s final.

“The presiding officer then comes back to plenary and puts the question: ‘Do we affirm what was agreed in the closed session?’ Everyone said ‘Yes’. No one said ‘No’. That’s where it ends.”

Meanwhile the Senate Adhoc Committee on the Emergency Rule in Rivers State, yesterday screened nominees for appointment as chairman and members of the state Electoral Commission.

The panel chaired by the Leader of the Senate, Senator OpeyemiBamidele, however, faulted the nomination of  Dr. Michael EkpaiOdey, a non-indigene of Rivers State, as Chairman

Odey is from Cross River State, the same state with the Sole Administrator in Rivers State, IbokEkweIbas.

Other nominees screened by the panel as members of the SIEC were, Mr. LezaasiLeneeTorbira; Professor (Dr.) Arthur Nwafor; Professor Godfrey Woke Mbudiogha; Professor (Dame) Joyce Akaniwor; Dr. (Mrs.) Olive A. Bruce and Professor ChidiHalliday.

Reacting to the question that he was not an indigene of Rivers State, the chairmanship nominee said, “With utmost respect, I have gone through the RSIEC’s enabling law, and there is nothing that precludes an appointment of anybody outside the state as chairman of the electoral management body in the state.”

When asked whether he has the copy of the Rivers State independent electoral commission Act, he said: “No, I don’t have it, but I went through it.”

Asked what integrity he would be bringing to  the local government elections in Rivers State, Odey said, “First and foremost, on character and indigene-ship.

“I’m not from Rivers State so I don’t know anybody that is going to influence me to do anything otherwise because I will keep to the rules, I’ll keep to the procedures, I will keep to the timelines. I’m going to remain neutral and impartial.

“On agitations for the scrapping of state independent electoral commissions because of compromise. Well, this is also tied, in my opinion, to the principle of federalism.

“So if we are practicing federalism, I think that the sub-nationals should be allowed to handle local government election, because that gives them a sense of independence.”